The Legend of Zelda: Into Eternal Night
by LoneRider547
Summary: It is said a realm having eternal night skies is parallel to the realms of Light and Twilight. New and old foes are out to ruin all three realms. Will Link be able to protect all three? Post TP. Pairings: LinkxMidna, ZeldaxOC Rated T for Violence and some Cursing.
1. See You Later

This is my first fanfic, but that shouldn't stop you all from giving me reviews and constructive criticism. Please, opinions are appreciated!

Without further ado, let the tale begin!

Chapter 1: See You Later

"Link… I… See you later." With those words, Midna, the true Princess of Twilight, shed one tear and pushed it toward the Mirror of Twilight. Midna's words, although soft, rang loudly in the young Hero's ears. _Wait, this isn't how it is supposed to be... Damn it Link, say those words! SAY THEM!_

"Midna…" Was all that Link could say before he heard a loud _CRACK_. Both he and Zelda turned around and were horrified when they saw a small crack in the mirror, slowly increasing in size and splitting in several directions. All he could do was look back at the one he loved, slowly disappearing through the portal which he very well knew led to her home and people. Midna looked back at him with beautiful but sad, red eyes and gave him a small smile before completely fading away. The mirror died down and then shattered into small pieces, and with that, shattering Link's heart.

Zelda looked at the metal rim that once held the mirror in place and sighed. _You broke Link's heart. And you broke your own. Midna, what have you done…?_

"Link…" Her voice was gentle. She looked to where he stood, mouth slightly open in absolute shock. _She's never coming back_, he thought. _She's gone, and she broke the mirror. I'll never see her again. I wish I told her… Told her…_

"Midna… I… I love you…" He managed, before falling to his knees and letting the tears he held fall in earnest. Never had he felt this way about anyone else, save for perhaps Ilia, and that was before the Twilight War started. Now he could not get Midna out of his head. _See you later_. How could he have missed it? The opportunity to tell her what he truly felt. And now, he could not tell her, and could never tell her.

Zelda looked upon the now 18-year-old and she herself shed a tear, knowing what he felt. Walking over to him slowly, she knelt down and placed an arm around Link and he brought his head to her chest and sobbed. She didn't care that her clothes would be tear-stained; she only wanted his heart mended. She wanted to see her friend, her hero, happy, but she knew the only person who could do that was gone and would not come back. Why did the Goddesses have to be so cruel to him?

So the young princess let him cry for what seemed like hours, knowing this was the only way to let out his emotions, all the while comforting him. Once he had no more tears to shed, he stood up, Zelda with him.

"I only wished… I could tell her…" Link started finally, wiping his tears from his puffy eyes and face. Zelda looked at him for a time, wondering if he would continue his thought. When he didn't, she took a breath.

"Link… I know this is hard for you. This probably seems unbearable to you, and you feel like it is the end of the world as you know it. I wish I knew exactly how you felt, so then perhaps I could share your pain, and help you. But you should know… Midna would not have wanted you to sulk and be so upset. If you remember, I once gave her light and my spirit and hers were connected. She cares deeply for you, Link. She… She loves you." She spoke gently and sincerely.

"Yeah? Then tell me, Princess. Why did she shatter the mirror? Why did she leave without so much as a proper goodbye? If she felt all those things about me like you say she did, why did she never tell me what she was planning on doing?" He asked bitterly.

"She did not want to tell you what she felt because she knew it would hurt you even more to know you could never see her again. Believe me, Link. Believe me when I say that the decision she made hurt her just as much as it hurt you. She felt she had a duty to her people as Twilight Princess to return to her home realm, and she destroyed the mirror in the hope that no more evil like Zant should befall Hyrule again."

"Yeah well, she obviously either didn't know or didn't care that it would destroy me. I just wish…" Link sighed, knowing he could not argue with Zelda, because deep down he knew she was right. "I just wish she knew how much she meant to me. How much she MEANS to me. I could never forget her even if I tried. She and I did everything together during the War and stuck with each other right to the very end. Do you know what I felt when Ganondorf came out of the castle holding Midna's helmet and then crumbling it?"

"No," Zelda answered truthfully.

"Well…" Link hesitated, thinking that he might tear up again at the thought. "It felt as if my whole world came crashing down. I have never felt so angry with any one person before. At that point, I wanted to slaughter _him_, make him pay for what he did to her. At that point… Everything I did, I did for her." He thought some more, and he remembered Zant's attack at Lanayru Spring. He continued, "Actually, I started doing everything for her when you gave her light. I realized I could not do anything without her and there were times in which I felt truly alone. All that time, Midna was there for me, even if she sometimes smacked me around or ordered me around like I was her 'slave'. That was all I needed, really, to get back on my feet. I love her so much, and…" He stopped talking, fighting back the tears that were once again coming.

"Link, I am so sorry," Zelda said softly. "Now I know that she meant everything to you and it pains me to see you this way. I have no doubt in my mind that she loves you just the same, and she would want you to be happy and not lose hope. Chin up, wolfy." Link smiled at the nickname Midna had given him so long ago. "You never know. There may be a way back into the Twilight Realm and we simply have not discovered it yet. I promise you I will search for that path. In the meantime though, why don't we head back to the Castle? Or what is left of it anyways," she finished with a sigh.

Link's spirits gradually rose. Zelda was right. Midna would not want him to feel down in the dumps. He also knew there _had_ to be a way back to the Twilight, back to her. He was also grateful to Zelda for her kind words and for what she had done for him over the last few hours. So he turned to the girl.

"Princess-"

"Zelda. Please, just Zelda," she smiled.

"Okay, Zelda. I hope your castle was insured," Link said and his face turned to a familiar grin.

Zelda smirked. "Don't worry about insurance. I have my ways." Link chuckled.

Using the power of Farore's Wind, Zelda transported them to the remains of the once beautiful castle. As it turns out, one wing of the castle, holding all of the bedrooms, remained fully intact and the ground floor was surprisingly passable. The rest of the castle was completely destroyed in the fight with Ganondorf.

"Well at least we still have the rooms…" Zelda mumbled before turning to Link. "Why don't you spend the evening in the wing? I will make arrangements for breakfast to be brought to you in the morning and you can be on your way back to Ordon. I suspect you would like to visit your friends."

"That is most appreciated, thank you Zelda," Link responded.

Zelda took him to his chambers, and he was surprised at just how large the room was. "Zelda… This… This is much more than I ever expected. Thank you," he said gratefully.

"Is there anything else you need before I go?" Zelda asked gently.

"No, I… I'll be okay." He responded with a hint of uncertainty. Zelda knew he was thinking about Midna, but she decided not to press the matter.

"Okay, but please do not hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do to help," she said softly, and gave him a warm smile before she left.

Link went over to the bed and sat down. Thoughts ran amok in his brain, and each was darker than the last. _Maybe I was never meant to be with her. Maybe… Maybe I was just meant to be a Hero in this cruel world. Am I not supposed to love? Am I not supposed to enjoy my own life, and find the one I wish to spend my life with? _At this, another image of Midna came to him. In this one, she was smiling and saying something witty. _What? Say something! Am I so beautiful you've no words left?_ Then the answers came to him.

_Yes. I am supposed to love. Yes there is someone out there for me. I have always had her, how could I have been so stupid as to not realize it? I love Midna, and I know the Goddesses will help me. _His body was suddenly warmed up and he was given a feeling of resolve. _Yes. That is what I will do. I will find her. I will find Midna. I MUST find her. I won't stop until I have done so, as she is the one for me. Life isn't the same without her and I refuse anyone else but her. Midna I promise you. I will find you._

With that, Link went to bed and immediately fell asleep, his dreams filled with a bright future.


	2. Homeward Bound?

Chapter 2: Homeward Bound?

"Link? Link… Link!"

"Mmmm… Wha-? Whazgoinon…?" Link managed to crack one eye open, and saw brilliant blue eyes looking back at him. Brunette hair tied into an elegant ponytail, and a kind smile on her face, Zelda slowly became clearer.

"Prin- Zelda!" Link stammered. He only just realized he was sleeping in the only part of the castle that was undamaged. Mentally slapping himself for looking like this in front of the princess, and for almost calling her by her title after she had just told him not to, he quickly regained his composure. "My sincerest apologies Zelda. I only remembered… Oh never mind. How long was I out?" He felt himself turn red. _Way to go, Link. Making a fool out of yourself, what would Midna say? … Midna…_

Zelda, meanwhile, giggled at his morning talk, but he was relieved nonetheless that she was smiling. "You don't have to be so formal with me. I was only doing that last night because there were guards with us." Indeed there were guards, many of them, including Captain Medeus, who insisted the Princess and the Hero be accompanied to their chambers, as if an attack was going to happen in the dead of night. "As to your question, Link, it is now noon and-" she was suddenly interrupted when Link practically flew out of his bed, covers going astray, and ran to put his Hero's tunic on.

"N-n-noon? NOON? Why didn't you wake me up earlier? I could have helped you with your duties! Oh no, no no no. Oof!" In his haste to put on his boots, he lost his balance and fell on his backside. At his antics, Zelda laughed. She could not believe that Link could lose his composure so easily. Then again, he did just wake up. She wondered how it was when Midna woke him up, and at what time too. _Midna…_

"Relax, Hero. I only woke up an hour ago myself. It is quite alright, I figured since you must have been exhausted after your battle with Ganondorf, I would let you sleep more," Zelda assured.

Link did as she told and took a deep breath, calming himself down. "Yeah I was rather tired. Who knew the guy had so much strength that one strike from his sword would throw me off balance so easily?" He shuddered, remembering a certain red-headed individual wearing dark armor, a dark cloak, and wielding a white blade, the Blade of Execution.

"Well the Triforce of Power gave him that strength," Zelda pointed out.

Link face-palmed. "Oh, right. I'm so glad I had the Triforce of Courage though," he said, gratefully looking at his left hand, where there were three triangles surrounded by a larger one. The right bottom triangle was filled and shown a golden color. He found that this particular piece gave him the energy and courage to continue fighting, enough to finally defeat the Evil King. At his thoughts, the Triforce glowed slightly before fading again. Zelda's right hand, where he knew the Triforce of Wisdom existed (the left bottom triangle was golden), did the same.

"Speaking of the Triforce of Power," Link continued, "Where is it now?"

"I would not know," Zelda said truthfully. "Perhaps it went to a different owner, or back to its resting place until someone worthy can claim it."

"I hope it chooses someone worthy," Link responded. "I really don't want to face another Ganondorf. One is enough," he finished with a laugh.

"I agree," Zelda smiled. She remembered all of the meetings with the council that she had to attend, plus the speech she had to address her people with, to explain the current situation and what had happened over the last few months. She sobered up immediately, and took a business-like tone. "Well Link, as much as I would love to spend the day making small talk, and believe me I'd much rather do that than sit around discussing issues with the council, I'm afraid that I must cut this short. I must also address the people with the events that transpired over the last few months. Why don't you go back home to Ordon and visit your friends and fellow villagers? I'm sure they are aching to see you." 

Link groaned sympathetically. _The poor princess already has meetings and needs to make speeches? Wow, I'd hate to be in her position,_ he thought. _Wait… Speech…_

"Zelda, what are you going to tell the people regarding the Twilight and its inhabitants?" He questioned.

"I shall only give them general facts. That they were turned into monsters by a rogue usurper and attacked Hyrule, and that the Hero and the Twilight Princess came and drove them back." Zelda answered.

"Wow, you don't miss a single step, do you?" When Zelda shook her head, Link asked her another question. "Would it be alright if you leave my name anonymous? I never liked attention from the crowd…" He trailed off, remembering the annoying fangirls laying eyes on him after completing the ridiculous STAR game, winning the big quiver in the process.

"I shall do as you wish. You saved us all, it is the least I could do," she smiled.

"Thank you Zelda. And thanks for the help last night."

"Link… About Midna," she hesitated. But before she could go on, Link responded.

"I have already made a vow to myself. I will find her, no matter what it takes. I realized that I love her too much to truly let her go or to forget her. I will find her, and when I do, I'm not letting her go, even if it means living in the Twilight with her," Link spoke determinedly. Zelda knew, somehow, that if he was this set on finding her, that there was a chance he could actually reunite with her.

"Link, I believe in you. Somehow I feel that if anyone can find her, it is you. Go forth, Hero, and may the Goddesses be with you."

After exchanging goodbyes and a hug, Link went out to the stables where Epona was waiting for him. "Hey girl, how are you?" He asked, petting her snout. The horse whinnied happily and nudged him gently. "Well good," Link continued, saddling her up and climbing on. "Ready to go home?"

And they were off, speeding south toward Ordon, enjoying the beautiful day outside, no moblins or deku babas in sight. The path Link took reminded him of the times he would travel with his imp companion turned Twilight Princess. _Midna_… Suddenly, the scene where she left and broke the mirror came replaying into his mind. _Link… I… See you later._ Those last words, etched in his mind, stung his heart. _Why Midna? Why did you have to do that, even if that saved the world? … No… I refuse to be brought down like this. I WILL find you my love. I won't let you go. I promise you I'll find you._

So he kept his head high and smiled for the rest of the way back, and slowed Epona down to a trot as they reached Faron Woods. He stopped by Coro and refilled his lamp, feeling a bit nostalgic, and returned to Ordon just before sundown. He wanted to spend some time alone, planning his next adventure and hopefully finding Midna. Thus he crept up to his treehouse, but only made it to the ladder when…

"LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINK!" _What I would give to use the wolf crystal right now…_

As Malo, Talo, Beth, and Colin ran up to him and gave him huge hugs that nearly knocked him flat, Link smiled and remembered the good times he had with them before the Twilight Crisis started. After reasoning with the kids (it took all of his strength to prevent himself from being pulled in four different directions), it was decided that he would wash up and join them and the other villagers, who would no doubt come and question him about his adventures.

Here Link was, two hours later, recounting his story with all of Ordon to hear. He took care to leave out the facts about Midna and the Twilight Realm, along with his wolf powers, as he was certain those tidbits would scare the villagers. This whole time, Ilia, whose eyes Link carefully avoided, blushed but said nothing. The village people gasped and made sound effects whenever appropriate, and by the time Link was done telling the tale, everyone whole-heartedly clapped and cheered.

"Wow Link! You did that all by yourself?"

"How powerful were all the bad guys?"

"Did you really tour all of Hyrule?"

"Seems like he did! He kicked those bad guys' butts!"

"Now now children," Mayor Bo grinned. "Let the Hero have his space now. I think it is time you all went to bed. No buts now." There was a collective groan from the kids, as they wanted to hear all the details of their Hero's story. Their respective parents took them home, leaving Link and Rusl all alone.

"So Link," Rusl said. "What are you going to do now that the Evil King is gone? I hardly believe you will just sit here in Ordon and start life here again like before."

"I…" Link began. He wondered if he should tell Rusl the small details, particularly concerning Midna. He always thought of him as a fatherly figure, and he had been part of the Resistance. Keeping these details from him would only hurt their good relationship. "Rusl, I left out some details…"

"Ah, I see," Rusl answered, patiently waiting for Link to continue.

"I did not do everything alone, I had help. From all of you guys in the Resistance, from Zelda, and from…" _This is it, Link. Just tell him, he will understand!_ "And from Midna." And so, he told Rusl the remaining details, of how she helped him escape his prison when the Twilight first appeared, and how annoying he thought she was at first, but how he grew to love her, all the way up to the point where she shattered the Mirror, thus preventing any more Twilian interference, and shattering his heart. By the time he finished, he had tears in his eyes. "Rusl I truly love her and I would do anything to be with her."

"I see…" Rusl sat in thought for a few moments, but then looked at Link with a smile. "If that is how you truly feel about her, then you know what to do. Go after her Link. Find her, and be with her. Don't stop until you have succeeded." He gave him a warm hug, and Link smiled. He was right in telling Rusl everything, and this proved he could trust him without a doubt.

"Thanks Rusl. For everything. Is it okay if you do not tell anyone else? I would rather this stayed between us. I think I will head off tomorrow morning to start my new adventure…"

"I promise not to tell anyone else. Good luck, I hope you find the woman of your dreams. May the Goddesses be with you." Rusl said, before giving him one more warm smile and heading back home for the night.

Link turned around and started home to his tree for what he felt was the last night in Ordon. _Hard to believe this may be my last night here, when just a few months ago I planned on staying here my whole life. But now, I can't imagine a life without Midna. My Midna. My little imp._ A sudden rustling noise brought him out of his thoughts. He turned around and saw Ilia there, with tears in her eyes.

"Link…" she said. She looked away from him for a short time, but decided to continue. "Is this true? What you said about loving someone else. Is it true?"

Link was deeply saddened. At one point, he had thought of Ilia as more than a best friend. Maybe as a love interest. Now, he could not see himself with her and only thought of her as his little sister. He took a breath. "Yes… It is true. I have fallen for someone else. I am truly sorry Ilia. Things changed during my travels…"

Ilia surprised him by hugging him and kissing him on the cheek. "It's okay. I understand. I just… I have always loved you, but deep in my heart I thought there might be a chance you would change. So I respect you, and will always be here, as your best friend. I am not throwing that away just because of your feelings for her," she finished with a smile, albeit in tears.

"Thanks Ilia. And I really am sorry…" She cut him off.

"Link just promise me you won't do anything out of your league, okay? And… I hope you find her and live a happy life."

"I… Okay Ilia. I promise," Link answered, relieved she was taking this better than he had expected. With another hug, he climbed up to his treehouse to prepare for the new day, although that did not take much time since he had not really unpacked anything. He fell asleep within minutes, dreaming of a certain Twilight Princess throwing jokes and snide remarks his way.

The next morning he woke up early, and gathered his things together and searched for Epona. Not seeing her at the foot of his treehouse, he surmised she must be at the Ordon Springs. Walking there he noticed he had been right. Ilia apparently also woke up early and was tending to the horse, while Rusl stood nearby. Link smiled once he realized that these two could care so much for him even after he told them he was leaving almost as soon as he came home. Ilia approached him first.

"Hi Link. I groomed your horse, just like before," she said. "Remember the promise you gave me last night?"

"That I wouldn't do anything out of my league? Yes and I plan to keep it," Link finished with a chuckle.

"Good. Well… I… Good luck Link. Please be safe, and come home whenever you need to. I would like to meet the girl you love too you know." Ilia smiled.

"I'll be sure to bring her here, don't worry." With a final hug, Ilia walked off, leaving the two men alone.

Link started first. "Rusl, you didn't have to wake up this early just to see me off…" He stopped when Rusl held up a hand.

"Say no more Link. I had to be here to say goodbye to my son, or else I wouldn't be a very good father!" At this both the Hylian and Ordonian laughed. "And Link, please do bring Midna here, I would love to meet her."

"I promise Rusl. It might be a nice change of things for once."

"Well Link, take good care of yourself, okay?" With Link's nod and smile, they hugged and Rusl too walked back to Ordon. Link turned back to Epona and suddenly had an idea. Pulling out the shadow crystal out of his pocket, he allowed its magic to take a hold of him and at once he was in the unfamiliar yet familiar body of a great wolf.

"_Master, why did you change into that form?" Epona questioned._

"_I thought it would be easier to communicate this way. So, are you ready for another adventure?"_

"_This is to find your missing companion?"_

"_Yes, exactly. I won't stop until I find her. I made a vow to myself that I would."_

"_Master I will help you the whole way. I am always here for you."_

With that, Link changed back into his human form and pocketed the crystal. Before he could climb on Epona though, a voice spoke through the spring.

_Oh great Hero of Light and Twilight_, it spoke.

With a brilliant flash of white light, the spirit Ordona appeared before him. Link was surprised he had been contacted, and he had wondered why.

"Oh! Great Spirit Ordona! Why have you sought me out?"

_If you would like to find the Princess of Twilight, there is a way. Venture to the place where you vanquished the Evil King. There is an object there that will help you travel to the place you seek._

With a sudden lurch, Link realized what Ordona was talking about. "Might you be referring to the broken Fused Shadow?"

_The very same. Take the pieces and go to Hyrule Castle. There, Princess Zelda will know what to do._

"Thank you, Ordona, for your help," Link spoke sincerely.

_Now go forth, Hero. Recover what you have lost. Reunite with the Twilight Princess, but be warned. Danger lurks about and a new foe will appear that is more powerful than the Evil King himself._

"Danger? What danger? Please answer me!" Link pleaded.

_I do not know what will happen, but be ready for it when it comes. Be careful Hero._

With that, the spirit shrank back and disappeared. _I wonder what dangers Ordona could be talking about, _he wondered.

He climbed on Epona and started her out of Ordon Springs. "Ready to go, old girl?" he asked playfully.

With a snort, Epona took off, answering his question.

_I'm coming Midna._

R&R please? Let me know how I'm doing so far!


	3. A New Friend and an Old Foe

So I'm only now getting the hang of using the line breaks and everything else, so forgive me if the first two chapters don't look as good.

Anyways enough babbling, and enjoy Chapter 3!

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: A New Friend and an Old Foe<p>

Link was speeding off towards the Eldin Province, where he knew the Fused Shadow lay. None of them (Link, Zelda, or Midna) decided to pick it up as they thought it was broken beyond repair. But he chose to heed Ordona's words carefully. _Venture to the place where you vanquished the Evil King. There is an object there that will help you travel to the place you seek._ He wondered if Zelda really knew what to do with it, but if it would help him travel back to the Twilight Realm, he decided he would not question the spirit.

Link arrived at the Eldin fields, where he remembered with a jolt about the horseback fight and Zelda's Light Arrows. _And to think this all happened a couple days ago… It feels like forever ago! Now where is that Fused Shadow?_ His Triforce glowed and seemed to be pulling him further east, and soon, he came upon the hill that Ganondorf once appeared on, crushing Midna's helmet in an act of defiance. _Midna… I thought I had lost you then…_ Tears began to form in Link's eyes, but he pushed them away. _No. No more. She came back, and that's all that there is to it._

The broken Fused Shadow lay on the hill, exactly where Link had remembered it would be. Then, as he slowed Epona to a walk, he thought of something else. _What was the danger that Ordona was talking about? An enemy more powerful than Ganondorf? I really hope that isn't the case._ As if on cue, an arrow whizzed by his left ear, and Epona neighed. Link jumped off the horse and sent her away, fearing for her life as a few more arrows missed their targets. "Oh COME ON! I HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS!" he roared impatiently.

Turning around, he saw Bulblin Archers. Ten of them. And more Bulblins wielding clubs running for him. "I thought your king allied with me! What happened to that?" More arrows flew his way in response, and he blocked those that would cause the most harm with his trusted Hylian Shield. _Well I guess something really is happening after all_, he thought glumly before pulling out the Master Sword from its elegant sheath.

Link ran at the mob, taking out five with a Great Spin to start things off. Dodging an arrow, he approached an archer and used the Shield Attack to knock it off balance and finished it with a thrust to its chest. Three more arrows came his way but none of them were on target, making things easier for him as he performed the Helm Splitter on one and another Great Spin to down four Bulblins sneaking up behind him. Before two Archers could fire more arrows, the Hero took out his bow and fired two arrows of his own. Unlike the Bulblins, his aims were true and the arrows caught them in the chest. Putting his bow away, Link performed a beautiful Mortal Draw, felling two more Bulblins, before picking off another five archers with his arrows. _Wait, there were two more Archers… Oh no!_ He barely turned around and raised his shield when an arrow nicked his shoulder, but successfully blocked the other.

Link winced but turned around to deal with the last of the Bulblins, letting them surround him. When the timing was just right, he executed a devastating Great Spin, felling all six. The last two Archers never stood a chance. Whipping out his bow, he nocked two more arrows and let them fly, each of them finding their targets. _So 17 Bulblins and 10 Archers. Not bad for an exercise._ He grunted as he pulled the arrow out of his shoulder, but smiled as the Triforce immediately healed the wound. _Good thing it wasn't very deep,_ he thought. As he turned to walk back to the Fused Shadow, he saw something that made his heart stop.

Another arrow had been fired, and Link closed his eyes, waiting for the impact… When none came, he opened his eyes, and he realized he was encased in a light blue barrier, the arrow bouncing harmlessly off of it to land some feet away. With a final arrow, the hidden Bulblin Archer fell, and a few seconds later, the barrier dissipated as well. _I wonder who could have protected me. I thought I was alone here…_

Link realized something was wrong as he made his way back to where the Fused Shadow supposedly lay. He stared around, looking for it, but it was nowhere to be seen. "Where did it go…? It was just here! Oh no…" Just then a cackle was heard.

"Looking for this?"

Link knew that voice all too well, but he thought its owner was dead. Unsheathing his sword once again, he looked to his left, and there, holding the Fused Shadow, stood a figure garbed in a familiar helmet and Twilight clothes.

"YOU!" Link shouted. He looked at his foe with utter hatred, remembering the Twilight War and all of the distress it caused the citizens. "I thought we killed you already! How did you come back? More importantly, why are you alive? ANSWER ME!"

Zant sneered. "Well well, if it isn't the Hero. I told you, my god would resurrect me without cease!"

"But I killed Ganondorf already! There is no way-!"

"Ah, my little Hero, how right you are about killing him. However he resurrected me one last time before you charged into battle with him! I refused, however, to protect him when you impaled him with that cursed blade, believing myself to be far more powerful now than he ever was."

"You're wrong. You could NEVER be more powerful than Ganondorf!"

"That is where you're wrong, my Light-dweller friend. You see, I work for someone else now, someone who wants to take over all the realms, and he has taught me a few things that made me much more powerful!" Zant cackled again, his eyes blazing with insanity. "All I needed was this Fused Shadow so I could gain access to the Twilight and begin the conquest anew!" Link launched himself at Zant, intending to cut him down, only to back off as a spell came his way.

"Now now, Hero. Let us not be so hasty now. We shall meet again in due time, of course, when your life will end by my hand. Now is not your time." As he turned to leave, Link went into a panic. _No… NO! He has the Fused Shadow. The only way to get to Midna! And now he wants to conquer the realms again! I must stop him before…_

Suddenly a whip cracked out of nowhere and hit Zant's hand. Although Zant wasn't hurt too badly, the Fused Shadow pieces were thrown from his grasp. Link, after a moment of surprise, launched himself and caught the Shadow, falling with it and shielding it from harm. Placing it into his pack, he stood up and surveyed the scene.

Zant was seething, his face contorted with rage and his eyes had the look of death on them. He was staring at a figure some 20 meters away. He had a traveling cloak on, which covered almost his entire body. He wielded a whip in his right hand and had an ornate, black shield in his left hand. "You!" Zant spat. It was clear he knew this third figure. "I thought I dealt with you already! You should be DEAD!" At this point, Zant was stamping his feet and sputtering nonsense. Link resisted the urge to laugh at his immaturity. He then looked at the figure, who spoke in a low, dangerous tone.

"Obviously you were wrong, because I am still here, alive and well. I'm not so easy to get rid of! Take this!" With that he attacked Zant, his whip making a loud _CRACK_ as it hit him in the gut. Zant doubled over, and Link seized the opportunity to run in and perform a Back Slice. Zant howled in pain and teleported away from Link and his new ally. When he reappeared, he was no longer angry, but he did look at the two with murder and Link knew he meant business.

"Very… Good. But you'll have to do better than that to kill me." He started launching red spells at the newcomer, who promptly raised his shield and shouted an incantation. "_Shilios Ornem!" _His shield glowed blue and the blue energy formed into the barrier that protected Link not too long ago. Zant's spells rebounded off the barrier, leaving him unharmed. He took this opportunity to counterattack, his whip whistling in the air.

Zant was ready this time, and teleported away again, and started launching spells at Link, who promptly dodged the first few, and blocked the rest with his shield. Link realized that Zant had indeed grown stronger, as the spells were more taxing to block than before. Once he finished blocking, he ran at Zant, sword poised to cut into the man he so hated. Zant cackled before teleporting once again to a spot far away from him and his newfound friend.

"It seems that my time here is up, my _friends_," Zant spoke. "I may have failed to take the Fused Shadow, but make no mistake! You have merely delayed the inevitable! I will take over the Twilight Realm, just as I have taken over the Night Realm, and the Light Realm will soon follow! You cannot stop me, no matter what you try! And if you somehow manage to achieve the impossible and defeat me, my Master will not allow you to proceed any farther!" With a last cackle, he opened a portal behind him.

"Wait!" Link yelled. "I'm not done with you yet! GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT YOU COWARD!"

"All in due time, Hero, all in due time," Zant replied coolly, turning around and walking toward the portal.

"Don't you dare walk away from me!" growled the mysterious figure. "You shall pay for what you have done to my family! GET BACK HERE!"

Zant turned his head to look back at him. "Darian, was it? You should really listen to your older brother and know when to give up and save yourself. You too will die eventually, but like the Hero, your time has not come yet." Darian ran after him, Link close behind, trying to prevent his escape, but to no avail. Zant disappeared through the portal, which closed before the two could follow him.

"I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU EVEN IF IT COSTS ME MY LIFE!" Darian roared into the air before collapsing onto his knees and clenching his fists, trying to control himself.

Link did not know what to think. _Is Zant really more powerful than Ganondorf? Is he the danger Ordona spoke of? How was he resurrected? Who is his Master?_ He looked at Darian, and felt a pang of pity. _It seems his family was attacked by Zant, leaving him alone. But I will end up asking him about the Night Realm. It seems we will have to venture there eventually._ He looked at the broken Fused Shadow in his pocket. _This Darian helped me recover the only way to get to Midna. Helping him is the least I could do…_ And so, Link approached the figure cautiously.

"Thanks for helping me get the Fused Shadow," Link started. Darian looked up and gave Link a small smile.

"It was no trouble," he responded. "I noticed it was very important to you and simply wanted to help." He hesitated, and then slowly lowered his hood. "My name is Darian, by the way. I'm afraid because that _creature_ showed up I did not have time to properly introduce myself."

"My name is Link. And don't worry, I was preoccupied myself." Link took in Darian's facial features. He had pale skin, as if it had not caught any sunlight for the last few months. His hair was jet-black, and somewhat ruffled in the front, but tied back into a ponytail that reached the middle of his shoulder blades. His eyes were, again, different. His left iris was midnight blue, while his right was an emerald green. He had a small bulge around his back, but his cloak kept it a secret. Darian noticed Link staring and said "If you were wondering about my back, I will show you when we get to someplace more private. I do not feel comfortable with others in this realm knowing."

"I understand. I will not press on until you feel comfortable. However I do have a few questions for you." Link answered.

"As do I. However, I shall attempt to answer yours to the best of my ability," Darian replied with a smile.

"Likewise. So first off, Zant mentioned the Night Realm. Do you have any idea what he is talking about?"

"The Night Realm," Darian began, "is a place where the skies are eternally dark. However, before you get any ideas and associate it with something evil, let me assure you that it is different. The stars are always out, and the moon is up for a period of 10 hours every day. During the other 10 hours, the only light the Realm receives is from the stars in the skies."

"Oh! So essentially, it is always evening in your Realm?" Link questioned.

"Yes. Now I have a question for you. Where am I, exactly? What realm is this?"

"You are in the Light Realm, where every 12 hours the sun is up, and the moon is up for the other 12. This land is called Hyrule, and we are in the Eldin Province." Link explained each of the four provinces in detail, having traveled through all of Hyrule during the Twilight War. Darian seemed satisfied, and allowed Link to ask his next question. "What happened to your family? It is okay if you do not wish to answer the question as it is a personal matter…"

Darian thought for a minute, and then took a deep breath. "My family, the Royal Family of the Night Realm, was attacked."

Link gasped. "You are of the Royal Family? Are you a prince, a king?" At this, Darian laughed.

"In a way, I am a prince. I am the second of three males born into the family. My mother died shortly after my younger brother, Drimani, was born. My father was once the King of the Night Realm. That is, until he was assassinated. This left Ionin, the eldest, to begin his rule over the kingdom. Three weeks later, Zant came and attacked without warning. Ionin created a portal that led to unknown places and urged Drimani and I to run and save ourselves, and perhaps to get help. Drimani ran through just as Zant walked into the throne room. I tried my best to fight alongside Ionin, but Zant overpowered us. In a last desperate attempt, Ionin told me to go through the portal and that he will buy enough time for me to escape. He didn't even have to say it, because Zant hit me with a spell and I was blasted right into the portal, leaving my brother alone with him. The last thing I remember was Ionin engaging Zant in a last stand before everything went dark.

"I woke up here after what seemed like hours, and it was so bright that I was briefly blinded by the light. Once my vision adjusted, I saw monsters heading in a certain direction. Hopeful that I would catch one of them off guard and get some information, I followed them, and they led me straight to you."

"It was you that cast the shield spell, wasn't it?" Link asked.

"Yes, it was. I saw you heading over to the object you call the 'Fused Shadow' and saw them surrounding you. I am most impressed that you were able to handle all of them on your own. I then saw Zant appearing out of a portal, and pick up the Fused Shadow. Seeing that you had become angry, I knew you were not going to help him, and so I entered the fray and the rest is history."

"Well thanks for your help," Link said sincerely.

"Don't mention it. What were you going to do with this Fused Shadow, if you don't mind me asking?" Darian questioned.

"I… I was looking for a way into the Twilight Realm. There is… Someone I deeply care about," Link finished lamely. Darian looked at Link and smiled.

"I have a feeling we shall have to go to the Twilight Realm in the near future. Zant had said he was heading there, remember?" Link nodded. "Then it's settled, we shall…" He was suddenly cut off as the back of his right hand started to glow in a familiar golden color. Link's Triforce similarly glowed.

Link looked at Darian and became wary. "Darian what is that on your hand?" Darian looked at Link the same way, before slowly taking off his gauntlet, thus revealing his hand completely. Link jumped back in surprise.

On Darian's right hand, plain as day, was a piece of the Triforce, yet this piece was different than the rest. The middle upside down triangle was gold and radiated the same energy as Link's.

"I am guessing you have never heard of this Triforce piece?" Darian asked. Link was relieved to see Darian was smiling and not readying an attack. "This is called the Triforce of Mediation. It allows me to balance the power of the three Triforces. Only through the proper balance can Courage, Power, and Wisdom reach their fullest potentials. The Triforce of Power has always been shrouded by darkness, but at this point I lost track as its last owner was killed…"

"By me," Link finished the thought.

"Yes, by… Wait, you destroyed the one with the Triforce of Power?" Darian asked incredulously. When Link nodded, Darian grinned. "About time someone destroyed that fiend. He was only sealed every other time. Looks like you broke the tradition Hero." Darian smirked.

Link laughed. "Well someone had to act. He was causing too much trouble anyways." He became serious, noting the bottom point of Darian's Triforce shown brighter than the rest. "Why is your Triforce glowing like that?"

Darian looked at his hand and said "This is because the two pieces the point connects, Wisdom and Courage, are working together." Link looked more closely and noticed a star on the point connecting the bottom two Triforces.

"Perhaps it is because I am close friends with Zelda that this is happening."

"Oh? You know the Bearer of Wisdom then?" Darian asked hopefully.

"She is the Princess of Hyrule. I was actually taking the Fused Shadow to her when those monsters attacked." Link answered.

"May I accompany you then Link? I would like to meet her myself, and we should tell her about Zant and everything else that transpired."

Link agreed, and climbed on Epona, who recently trotted back to him. He offered a hand to Darian, who merely shook his head. "Come on. You're not going to save any time by _walking_ to Hyrule Castle." He gasped as Darian unhooked his cloak and handed it to him. On his back, protruding from his shoulder blades, were two large black wings. "I… But… You ha… _Wings_?"

Darian laughed. "Don't tell me you haven't seen wings before!"

"I… Yes! Just not on a person!"

"Fair enough." Darian continued to grin. With a powerful flap of his wings, he was up in the air, floating next to Link. "Shall we go then?"

"What about all the people in Castle Town? I doubt they would welcome a winged Hylian with open arms!"

"Don't worry Link. I will stop flying when we reach the city limits. Lead the way."

With that, Link took off in the direction of the castle, Darian flying just above him.

* * *

><p>As usual, R&amp;R please!<p> 


	4. Darian's Tale

I apologize in advance if you guys don't like flashbacks, but it was the only way I could write this chapter.

Hope you all enjoy it nonetheless!

* * *

><p>Chapter 4: Darian's Tale<p>

Link and Darian reached the east entrance of Castle Town within an hour. As was discussed, Darian landed and Link handed him his traveling cloak. Once it was securely fastened, they strode into Castle Town. Ignoring all the strange looks the passerby gave him, Darian took in his surroundings, and enjoyed all of the various shops, homes, and everything else the town had to offer. He was so caught up in the moment that he nearly bumped into Link, who had been stopped by castle guards. A large wooden door stood beyond the guards, and Hyrule Castle, still in a state of disarray, behind it. _I wonder what could have happened to the castle,_ he wondered. _Remodeling, perhaps? Or was there a battle of epic proportions going on? It's like a huge rock came crashing out of the sky and just leveled it!_ He shifted his attention to Link, who was trying to reason with the guards.

"I request an audience with Princess Zelda. This is urgent," Link was saying.

The guard he was speaking to scoffed at him. "And what could YOU want with the Princess that it can't wait? It is past sundown after all. Whatever business you and your… _friend _have with her (Darian scowled), I'm sure it can wait until the morning."

"Come on! This is really important!" Link pleaded.

"No more of this kid. Go home," the guard was adamant. Link was about to launch into a profanity tirade when Darian tapped him on the shoulder.

"Link it can wait until morning," he said gently. "I'm sure Zant will not attack again for some time. Plus, I am feeling tired. Perhaps we would discuss things better when we are wide awake?"

Link considered Darian's advice, and decided to hold off from cursing the guard… For now, anyways. "Okay, I guess we can wait." He turned back to the guard. "Can you tell the Princess the Hero of Light and Twilight is here and seeks an audience with her in the morning?"

The guard looked taken aback for an instant before responding. "The… The Hero? My apologies! I did not realize you were him! I shall inform her immediately. What hour should we expect you?"

Darian spoke up. "Any hour that suits the Princess will also suit us, thank you." With a small bow of respect, he and Link proceeded back to Castle Town.

"Link, I have not been here before, but this place is amazing! I never realized it could be so crowded, even during the night hours! I have only heard stories…" Darian trailed off as Link led him through an alley to Telma's Bar. "Where are we headed to, anyways?"

"We are headed to Telma's Bar. She has rooms upstairs, and I was always able to crash here." Link answered as they reached the door. "I'm sure she will not mind having a friend here." Darian smiled.

Telma was busy cleaning the bar area when the door opened. She started as two people walked into the bar. She relaxed as she recognized the young man in the green tunic. "Link, honey," she greeted with her usual warm smile and hug. "What brings you here?"

"I am here because I wanted to see Zelda, but some guards gave us trouble. So I was wondering if…"

"If you can spend the night here? Of course hun!" She looked at Darian, and his eyes took her by surprise. "Link, who is your friend?" She asked.

"The name is Darian," he said, offering a hand. She shook it and looked at Link quizzically.

"I met him on the way here. He helped me fight back a few monsters," Link explained. "More than just a few monsters," Darian murmured. Both were relieved when Telma smiled.

"Well Darian, any friend of Link's is a friend of mine. It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Telma."

Darian visibly relaxed. "The pleasure's all mine Telma," he said with a smile.

"Well I shall prepare two rooms for you both, feel free to stay as long as you like!"

"Thank you, much appreciated," Link answered. Once they were led into their rooms and bade each other goodnight, Link became lost in his thoughts once again. _So in the course of one day, I fought monsters, ran into Zant, and met someone from the Night Realm. I never knew there was even such a Realm! This just keeps getting more and more strange by the minute… At least Darian is on our side and possesses a Triforce piece. What did he call it? The Triforce of Mediation? Yes, that was it. But where is the Triforce of Power?_ His thoughts shifted to Midna again. _Midna… I hope she is safe. I can't take it if she is hurt again. No. No more dark thoughts. She will be safe. I will find her soon, and we shall conquer this new threat. Together. With Zelda and Darian._ With that, he fell asleep.

In the other room, Darian himself was thinking. _So this is how the Light Realm is. It… It's beautiful here. I thought it was only in stories, but this is the real thing. I wish Ionin and Drimani could see this._ With a sudden jolt, he remembered he was alone here, and prayed for his two brothers. _Ionin, you have gone through so much to protect us and the kingdom. I hope you are okay. I hope you drove Zant off without getting hurt yourself. And Drimani… I hope you are somewhere safe right now. I will find you both._ His thoughts shifted to Link. _Link seems to be pure of heart. He is willing to do whatever it takes to protect those he loves. I can feel it. I consider him a friend, even though I only met him today. I trust him and I will need his help if we are to protect the three Realms. I hope this will all end without any major catastrophes…_ He too fell asleep soon after.

Zelda was in her studies the next morning when she felt her Triforce glowing. _Link? Is he here? I wonder if he would come here. And why…_ Shrugging the thoughts out of her mind, she strolled to the window, enjoying the sunlight. _Ever since the battle, things have been peaceful… Far too peaceful. Is there something out there that I should be worried about?_ Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a commotion outside the castle. Looking at the front gate, she noticed two people, one in a familiar green tunic, and the other in a black cloak. She could clearly hear the conversation.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU HAVEN'T TOLD HER! I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO LAST NIGHT!" Link was shouting.

"And I'm telling you there's no way a kid like you could be the Hero the Princess spoke about! Go home!" The guard yelled back.

"YOU LITTLE-!" Zelda gasped as she heard Link curse the guard out. The second figure, she noticed, was trying so hard not to laugh, but couldn't completely hold it in. She clearly heard him snigger. The guard turned to him.

"You think this is funny? I'll show you funny!" The guard brandished his spear. The figure backed away and became serious.

"We do not want any trouble; we simply came to talk to the Princess. We tried last night but you said it was too late. So we left while you said you were going to tell her of our arrival. Please, let us through." This person, Zelda noted, spoke calmly and with a hint of respect. She grew alarmed when the guard did not lower his spear and decided enough is enough.

"Guards! Lower your spears and allow the Hero and his companion in!" Link looked up and smiled.

"Thanks Princess! Where shall we meet you?" he hollered.

"I will be down at the entrance in a moment, wait there for me!" Zelda left promptly to welcome the two travelers.

Down at the doors, the guards stared at Link with wide eyes, realizing their mistake. None could offer their apologies, instead stammering incoherent phrases. Finally, one of them murmured "This way please," before opening the door, allowing Link and Darian in.

Darian took a look at the castle grounds and his suspicions the castle wasn't simply being remodeled were confirmed. Debris was still present and littered the grounds. He noticed that one wing of the castle was fully unharmed and the ground level seemed mostly intact. Everything else was obliterated. "What in Goddesses name happened here?" he asked.

"It's a long story. When we meet with Zelda, we will tell you." Link answered. A few moments later, the Princess herself appeared.

"Link, welcome back. But I thought… I thought you were on an adventure to find a way back to the Twilight! And I must say, you have developed quite a… _Colorful_ vocabulary."

Link laughed. "Well the guard was giving us trouble! As to the adventure, it led me to you. I have been contacted by the light spirit Ordona and it told me to find the Fused Shadow we left some time ago in the Eldin fields, and bring it to you." Link responded.

"Ordona said that?" Zelda asked. When Link nodded, she continued. "Very well, hopefully there is something I can do." She looked at Darian, but did not seem at all surprised when she saw his eyes. "And who might you be?"

Darian bowed. "My name is Darian. I come from a distant land. Thank you for meeting with us."

Link spoke up. "I met him when I was picking up the Fused Shadow. We ran into… A problem..." Zelda looked questioningly at him but would not ask, thus Link lowered his voice to a whisper so only Zelda and Darian could hear. "Zant."

Zelda widened her eyes and motioned for them to follow her. Not one word was said as Link and Darian accompanied the Princess back to her study. She closed the door behind them and motioned to two chairs in front of a desk. The two men sat down while Zelda took her place behind the desk. "Elaborate."

Link launched into an explanation, of how Ordona contacted him, of his travels to Eldin fields, of the sudden attack by the monsters, Zant's return, and Darian's help. Zelda listened patiently until he finished, then looked at Darian and smiled. "I must thank you for your help. If you hadn't intervened, Zant might have been able to set his plan to motion much sooner than expected."

Darian brushed it off gently. "You don't have to thank me Princess. I will always try to protect those I care about from evil beings like Zant."

"You certainly have my gratitude, nonetheless. Now tell me Darian. Where are you from, and how did you get here?"

At this, Darian stiffened. "Well I…" He looked at Link, who gave him a reassuring smile. He turned his gaze back to Zelda, who was smiling kindly. "Well it started like this."

* * *

><p><em>The castle was quiet, maybe too much so. More guards have been posted at the entrances ever since the assassination happened three weeks ago. Inside the castle, the servants were all in their rooms, retiring for the day. In the council chambers stood three men. Ionin, 27, looked tired. Ever since his coronation, he has had to deal with daily meetings and speeches to the people. It was a wonder he had not collapsed yet, but such is the life of a new king. His brothers Darian and Drimani, 23 and 18, respectively, tried to help him as much as possible. Even with their efforts, Ionin's exhaustion started to become known around the palace. <em>

_Darian had become his personal diplomat and emissary, traveling to towns outside the jurisdiction, offering trade routes and alliances. Drimani was managing the armies and became the commander. Although he was young, he was a brilliant strategist, and thus no one questioned him. Both were Ionin's private advisors and bodyguards, protecting him from any trouble that should come his way. They were discussing the next action involving a certain province that was a long ways away. The council members had long since taken their leave, and the three men were only now finalizing the plan._

"_So this is how it will work. Darian, you will go to the Vorek Province and give them our terms, as usual. Drimani, you and ten of your best men will accompany him. It is a long journey, and I fear for him as someone could easily ambush him," Ionin was saying._

"_Oh calm down brother," Darian laughed. "I'm sure nothing will happen to me. I'm strong enough to handle almost anything!" He alone had inherited their father's wings, and he alone shared their father's emerald and their mother's midnight blue irises. Ionin had their mother's eyes while Drimani had their father's. _

_He grew serious when Ionin scowled. "Don't worry Ionin, everything will be just fine. You worry too much."_

_Ionin looked down and his voice was sad. "I just do not want to lose you and Drimani the way we lost our parents…" Darian and Drimani hugged him._

_Drimani spoke up. "Don't worry. We'll be just fine. It'll go smoothly and we shall return before you know it!"_

_Ionin smiled. "Very well then. Go get some sleep, both of you. You have a long road ahead tomorrow."_

"_Goodnight Ionin," Darian and Drimani chorused._

"_Goodn-" BOOM! The castle rumbled slightly from the force of an unseen explosion. Ionin became tense, as did his two brothers. "What was that?" he asked. He rushed to the window and looked down in horror. _

_Beasts were roaming the streets, attacking anyone who happened to be out of their houses. The guards, Ionin noted, had all disappeared or fallen. At the castle entrance, a lone figure was firing spell after spell at the protective enchantments. Although the defenses were high, one could tell it would eventually break. Cracks were already appearing on the barrier. Ionin turned back to his brothers and regained his composure._

"_You two must leave, and quickly," he said calmly. Both Darian and Drimani immediately protested._

"_There's no way we're leaving you alone with that sorcerer! You must be out of your mind to think we would actually do that!" Darian exclaimed, readying his Darkwhip and Obsidian Shield._

"_I agree with Darian! You're not facing this alone!" Drimani said defiantly, unsheathing his Darkblade. _

_As more rumbles shook the castle, Ionin's mind was set. He was going to get his two brothers out, whether they liked it or not. But should he perform this particular spell? He had only begun to practice; there was no way he could know where they would end up. A resounding crash brought him to his senses. Murmuring an incantation unknown to either Darian or Drimani, Ionin suddenly thrust his hands into the air._

_A white portal formed roughly fifteen feet from where he stood. Pleased with his work, he turned to the other two. "Quickly, get in! There is no time!" After more protests, he reassured them. "I promise I will join you, but I must keep the portal open while you head through! Go! GO!"_

_Drimani ran towards the portal. Just before going through, he turned around. "Ionin… Thank you. Please, be safe, and keep your promise." Without another word, he ran through the portal and disappeared, just as the sorcerer broke down the door, launching spells at the remaining brothers. _

"_Shilios Ornem!" A blue barrier erupted from Darian's shield that protected himself and his brother. Ionin was launching spells of his own, hoping to catch the sorcerer. But it was no use. Soon Ionin grew tired and another spell from the sorcerer shattered Darian's barrier._

"_Foolish Night-dwellers," the sorcerer sneered. "Your pitiful magic is no match for my power. Hear my name as it is the name people shall come to respect as their new ruler! Zant!" He launched another spell that hit Ionin straight in the chest. The force of the spell threw him backwards and he hit the wall, hard, falling to the ground, unmoving. _

"_IONIN!" Darian yelled, and ran to continue the duel with Zant. As Zant fired more spells, Darian flew and gracefully dodged them, while attacking with his whip. They fought like this for what seemed like ages until Darian finally found an opening in Zant's attack. Dodging another three bolts of magic, Darian suddenly closed in, elbowed Zant hard in the gut, and lashed out with his whip. The whip glowed dark blue and smacked Zant, sending him flying backwards into the ceiling. Darian struck again, the whip wrapping around Zant's torso, and using all of his strength, hurled him into the ground, making a nice CRUNCH. _

_Retracting his whip, Darian ran to where Ionin was back on his feet. "Are you okay?"_

"_I'll live. I'm much stronger than you think I am Darian," Ionin responded with a chuckle._

"_YOU FOOLS!" Zant was back on his feet, but he was no longer sneering. His face was contorted with rage. "HOW DARE YOU DEFY YOUR KING! FOR THIS YOU WILL PAY!" He readied more spells._

"_This guy just won't give up!" Darian exclaimed. Ionin stepped forward, his hands glowing with energy._

"_Darian, leave him to me. Find Drimani, and get help. I shall join you shortly. Go! I can't hold him off for very long!" _

_Before Darian could respond, Zant launched a spell… Aimed directly for him. "Shilios Ornem!" he shouted desperately. The spell collided with the barrier, but to his horror, the barrier soon shattered and the spell hit him in the chest. The force of the impact threw him backwards… Directly into the portal._

_The last thing he heard was Ionin's scream. "NOOOOO! DARIAN!" He knew no more._

_Darian woke up feeling slightly dizzy, a bright light shining down on him. He tried to open his eyes, but immediately shut them again, blinded by the light. He opened them again five minutes later and was content when he found his eyes were adjusted to the light. "It's so strong," he thought._

_He sat up and took in his surroundings. "Where am I? I don't think I'm anywhere near home anymore. Home… Ionin… Drimani… I hope you both are safe." He saw a few monsters with clubs and arrows walking somewhere, as if they had a reason. He slowly got up and followed them, hopeful to catch one of them and force some information out of it. He also fastened his traveling cloak and put his hood up, hopeful no one would recognize him._

_Darian looked farther away, and saw a young man in a green tunic on a horse. His destination appeared to be an object that was on the ground some meters away. Darian saw the monsters with the bows and arrows take aim and fire at the traveler. "Oh COME ON! I HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS!" he was yelling. Pulling out a glowing sword and shield, he made short work of the brutes with the clubs before taking out his own bow and firing arrows, all finding their targets. He saw the traveler getting nicked in the shoulder by another arrow, but he continued to fight, destroying all the beasts that stood in his way._

_Darian was impressed. He had never thought a lone traveler could eliminate so many enemies, in such a short time. He turned to walk back toward the object of interest, but stopped, staring at a hidden archer firing another arrow. Realizing the traveler would be hit, Darian shouted the only spell that came to him: "Shilios Ornem!" The blue barrier encased the traveler and he was relieved the arrow only glanced off his barrier. With a final arrow, the traveler dispatched the archer. _

"_Looking for this?" cackled a voice from his left. Darian realized the voice belonged to the sorcerer that had attacked the Night Realm. Zant. He was holding the object the man in the green tunic was looking for._

_Darian inched closer, watching intently as the traveler and Zant argued. It seemed that Zant was on his way to conquer what he called the Twilight Realm. After shooting a bolt of magic at him, he turned to leave. _"_Now now, Hero," he was saying. "Let us not be so hasty now. We shall meet again in due time, of course, when your life will end by my hand. Now is not your time." _

_Realizing he was about to leave, Darian did the only thing he could do. He ran up and flicked his wrist, the whip flying towards Zant. The whip struck him across the hand, causing him to let go of the object, which he called the 'Fused Shadow'. The traveler ran and caught it in a nice dive. Zant turned to look at Darian. A moment of shock was replaced by a look of anger._

_"You!" Zant spat. "I thought I dealt with you already! You should be DEAD!" At this point, he was jumping around as if someone stole his wedding ring. Darian looked at Zant with hatred in his eyes, and spoke in a low, dangerous tone._

_"Obviously you were wrong, because I am still here, alive and well. I'm not so easy to get rid of! Take this!" With that he attacked Zant again, his whip connecting with his gut. Zant doubled over, and the traveler seized the opportunity to run in and strike from behind. Zant howled in pain and teleported away from Darian and his new ally. When he reappeared, he was no longer angry, but he did look at the two, calculating his next move._

_"Very… Good. But you'll have to do better than that to kill me." He started launching red spells at Darian, who promptly raised his shield and shouted his most trusted spell. "__Shilios Ornem!" __ The familiar blue barrier formed around him, Zant's spells rebounded harmlessly off. He took this opportunity to counterattack, his whip whistling in the air._

_Zant was ready this time, and teleported away again, and started launching spells at the man in the green tunic, who promptly dodged the first few, and blocked the rest with his shield. Once he finished blocking, he ran at Zant, sword poised to cut into the man. Zant cackled before teleporting once again to a spot far away from the two._

_"It seems that my time here is up, my __friends__," Zant was saying. "I may have failed to take the Fused Shadow, but make no mistake! You have merely delayed the inevitable! I will take over the Twilight Realm, just as I have taken over the Night Realm, and the Light Realm will soon follow! You cannot stop me, no matter what you try! And if you somehow manage to achieve the impossible and defeat me, my Master will not allow you to proceed any farther!" With another manic laugh, he opened a portal behind him._

_"Wait!" the traveler yelled. "I'm not done with you yet! GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT YOU COWARD!"_

_"All in due time, Hero, all in due time," Zant replied, smiling slightly, before turning around and walked toward the portal. He was getting away…_

_"Don't you dare walk away from me!" Darian said darkly. "You shall pay for what you have done to my family! GET BACK HERE!"_

_Zant turned his head to look back at him. "Darian, was it? You should really listen to your older brother and know when to give up and save yourself. You too will die eventually, but like the Hero, your time has not come yet." Darian ran after him, his ally close behind, trying to prevent his escape, but to no avail. Zant disappeared through the portal, which closed before the two could follow him. At this point, anger overtook Darian._

_"I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU EVEN IF IT COSTS ME MY LIFE!" he roared into the air before collapsing onto his knees and clenching his fists, trying to control himself. "Ionin, Drimani… I'm sorry… I couldn't catch him this time," he thought sadly. Darian noted the man in the green tunic was approaching him and decided to act civil. After all, he had helped fight Zant._

_"Thanks for helping me get the Fused Shadow," the stranger said. Darian looked up and gave him a small smile._

_"It was no trouble," he responded. "I noticed it was very important to you and simply wanted to help." He hesitated, and then slowly lowered his hood. He might as well trust him. "My name is Darian, by the way. I'm afraid because that __creature__ showed up I did not have time to properly introduce myself."_

_"My name is Link. And don't worry, I was preoccupied myself."_

* * *

><p>As Darian finished, he looked up. Link was staring at him, realizing he was in the same situation Midna and Zelda once were. With Zant attacking his kingdom, chaos most likely prevailed. He also felt pity for the man as he did not know what had happened to his brothers. "Wow…" he said. "Darian I'm so sorry for your kingdom, and for your brothers. I'll help you find them, and we will stop Zant from carrying out his evil plans."<p>

Darian smiled at him. "Thanks Link. I would appreciate that. Meanwhile I'll help you find the one you care about in the Twilight Realm and fight alongside you when the time comes. It's the least I could do."

"Thanks, it really means a lot to me," Link said sincerely.

Zelda pondered over everything she had just heard. _Another realm? Besides Light and Twilight? I've never even HEARD of such a thing! I shall have to ask Darian for more details regarding that subject. I will also conduct some research of my own in what's left of the library for more information about his people. _She stopped when her Triforce began glowing fiercely. Link's and Darian's pieces also reacted and were glowing likewise. Zelda looked at Darian's piece and gasped. _No… It can't be!_

"You have the _Triforce of Mediation?_" she squeaked. Link and Darian both stared at her, shocked that she knew exactly what it was.

"What do you know about the Triforce of Mediation?" Darian asked.

* * *

><p>Well there you have it! Zant is up to no good again, but who is his master? And what DOES Zelda know about the Triforce of Mediation? Stay tuned for upcoming chapters! As usual, R&amp;R!<p> 


	5. Light, Shadow, and Night

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: Light, Shadow, and Night<p>

"You have the _Triforce of Mediation?" _Zelda squeaked. Link and Darian both stared at her, shocked that she knew exactly what it was.

"What do you know about the Triforce of Mediation?" Darian asked. It was clear that Zelda knew much more about the Triforce piece than even he did. _Then again,_ he thought, _she does have the Triforce of Wisdom. It shouldn't be that much of a shock that she would know almost everything, if not everything._ He looked at Link, who merely nodded his head in agreement. It was clear he trusted Zelda, and if he trusted her, Darian might as well. He waited for her answer patiently.

"Well… No one has seen that Triforce piece since the Ancient War!" Zelda started. "It is said three Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore, created this land using their powers and left their mark in the form of the Triforce pieces. We know those three pieces are Power, Wisdom, and Courage." Link and Darian nodded in agreement. Zelda continued. "It is also said a fourth Goddess, Mudora, created the Triforce of Mediation in the event one of two things happened. Either one of the Triforce pieces becomes so corrupt the Bearer of Mediation has to step in and restore balance to the Triforce, or something catastrophic happens, during which time the Mediator has to help the other three Triforce-wielding members combine their powers to eradicate the evil and restore peace."

"Well I guess we don't need to worry about the first possibility since Courage and Wisdom are together and pure," Link stated.

"But what of the Triforce of Power?" Zelda asked. When Link did not have an answer, Darian spoke up.

"I believe what Link is trying to say is that since you both killed Ganondorf, the Triforce of Power is currently out of the equation. It probably went back to the Sacred Realm and is waiting for someone worthy to claim it." Darian saw Link nod out of the corner of his eye and continued. "Which brings us to the second reason. The catastrophe. Are we talking about a devastating war, or perhaps bad weather to the point where it ravages the land? Or…" Horror dawned on his face. "Wait… Please don't tell me you're thinking of the possibility of the end of the world."

Zelda looked grim, and Link realized Darian had hit the mark. "Oh I'm afraid that may be exactly the catastrophe the Goddesses were referring to." They sat for a minute in silence, unable to speak another word. _The end of the world? How are we supposed to stop that?_ Link thought in dismay. Zelda's next words brought him out of his thoughts.

"Why don't we head to the library? I think there is one book that may help us make some sense of all this."

"You know best, Princess," Darian smiled. "Lead us to the library then." He and Link followed her through many doors, taking care to avoid some of the debris littered around in the hallways. When they got to the library, they were mildly surprised.

The library itself remained flawlessly intact, as if nothing had happened. It was a miracle, really, for if any part of it caved in, they may never have found the book Zelda was now holding in her hands. It looked extremely fragile, like it would fall apart if someone merely touched its spine. It was a large, somewhat like an oversized encyclopedia. On the front was an image of the Triforce, the colors red, green, and blue all faded out with age. She gestured towards a table and they sat down, Zelda gently setting the book down and opening its pages.

The text, surprisingly, was not faded at all, as if magic prevented it from doing so. Zelda took out a pair of glasses and was trying her hardest to decipher the words. Darian turned slightly pink and looked away. Link noticed, and wanting to be subtle tried to convey a message with his eyes. Darian frowned, but then pointed to his Triforce. Link somehow got the message and formulated a thought. _"Darian, do you fancy Zelda by any chance?"_ He was surprised when his Triforce glowed slightly and hoped he received his message.

The response came almost immediately. _"She is kind and smart, and she is no doubt beautiful. I personally admire a woman with glasses, and I wanted to pay her a compliment, but I do not wish for her to become offended or angry with me, thinking of me as someone who only likes her based on her looks."_

"_What do you have to lose Darian? Tell her! I personally think she will like it."_ Link smiled and encouraged him. Zelda noticed and looked at the two quizzically.

Darian took a deep breath and looked at Zelda. "Princess, you look cute with those glasses," he blurted before looking away shyly, his face reddening.

"Thank you. And please, call me Zelda," she said before resuming her reading. Link noticed, however, that her face was slightly pink and was now smiling, though subtly. _"You are in the clear Darian. She is smiling."_ Darian regained some confidence and gave him a small wink before turning back to Zelda.

"Oh I give up!" she cried desperately. "I cannot understand a word this thing has to say!" Indeed, the book seemed to be written in an old language that Link could not understand. He too looked at Zelda.

"I'm surprised you tried this long to understand it Zelda. I would have given up after a few seconds!" Darian suddenly looked at the text.

"Zelda, hand me the book. Let me have a stab at it." She raised her eyebrow before slowly passing the book to him. He gently took it and started flipping through the pages. Suddenly he came across the section he must have been looking for, for he exclaimed "Aha! Here it is! The Unification of the Triforces."

"WHAT!" Link and Zelda stared at Darian with their mouths hanging open. How could he read it so easily?

"What?" he asked. "It says it right here, black on white!" When they continued to stare at him the same way, he realized it. "Oh, you don't understand the text?" he asked gently. They shook their heads in affirmative.

"Now I understand. The explanation is simple. The text was written in an ancient form of Hylian, and very few people even know it exists, much less understand it. My older brother Ionin was educated to understand this language as our own library contains many texts like this one. I was lucky that he helped me understand it. As of right now, he and I are the only two to currently be able to successfully translate it to modern Hylian. It is no shame to not be able to read it!" he assured. Link and Zelda relaxed slightly. Darian continued. "So where were we? Ah yes, the Unification of the Triforces." And with that, he began to read.

* * *

><p>"<em>In the ancient days, after the almighty Goddesses Three created the land of Hyrule, people lived in perfect harmony. Although they formed different tribes, they coexisted peacefully, spreading their teachings, whether they be politics, magic, or the use of the sword.<em>

"_However, as time went on, certain groups of people were experimenting with magic that was incomprehensible to their fellow tribes. They were thus shunned for dabbing in what they called 'Dark Magic'. These people left in order to perfect this magic, away from prying eyes. For some time, they were not seen or heard from by any of their old friends. _

"_One day, a tribe was completely wiped out. Men, women, and children were all murdered in cold blood. Only one survivor made it out alive and went to warn the rest of the tribes. These people had indeed increased their power in magic. But they had also combined their own magic with the magic of True Darkness. Essentially, they were exiled for dabbing in magic that resembled the Darkness, yet it was not evil at all. They became angry and thus decided to tap into the powers of True Darkness as revenge for being dismissed by their former friends. _

"_Their leader, Caedin, led the rebellion, his people known as the Magicians of Darkness. They ravaged many villages and armies, devastating families and destroying all in their way. His two elite commanders, known to us as Majora and Fierce Deity, led their troops with an iron fist, following Caedin's wishes without question. They too felt betrayed by their fellow tribesmen, believing their magic was once righteous as well._

"_In order to combat the Magicians, the rest of the villagers formed alliances and fought Dark with Light, believing that to be the only solution. However, all initial battles ended in failure. That was when another group of individuals stepped forward. These people were very skilled in their art of Light Magic, yet they needed more than just that to combat True Darkness. They became the Dark Interlopers, for they began to experiment with Shadow Magic, and thus created an object to help them fight off Darkness, known as the Fused Shadow. They split its powerful magic into four parts, thus stabilizing them and making it easier to control._

"_Meanwhile, some of the Magicians of Darkness turned on Caedin, realizing he merely wanted to destroy all life and thus bring about the end of the world. They came to the Dark Interlopers and the Light Fighters, offering their teachings of the magic now known as Night Magic to all who trusted them. Initially the remaining Resistance forces distrusted them, fearing betrayal, but as more villages fell, they had no choice. _

"_Caedin, Majora, and Fierce Deity reached the capital of the Resistance roughly one month later. The battle that ensued was devastating to both sides, and lasted roughly 70 hours. All that remained were the Three Chosen Warriors of Light, those who were granted the Power of the Goddesses, the Dark Interlopers, who survived due to the Fused Shadow, and the Magicians wielding the Night Magic._

"_The Three Chosen Warriors, wielding Power, Wisdom, and Courage, fought bravely, managing to seal Majora and Fierce Deity in separate masks, rendering them unavailable to fight. However, even they could not take down Caedin as his Darkness was too much for even them to overcome. He thus gave them a 72 hour respite in which he offered peace if they surrendered, withdrawing his remaining army._

"_At this point, even the Goddesses were unsure of what to do. Caedin's magic was far too powerful for them to contain, and could only hope the Chosen Warriors and their comrades would emerge victorious. It was at this time a fourth Goddess decided to lend them a hand. Mudora, the Goddess of Mediation, realized only the right combination of Power, Wisdom, and Courage would be able to overcome the True Darkness. So she left her mark on the world, which would be known as the Triforce of Mediation, in the hopes that someone worthy would wield it and successfully unite Power, Wisdom, and Courage. _

"_It is said a Night Magic Wielder, who was once siding with Caedin's forces, claimed it. This is due to his repentance for his previous actions, and the fact that he wanted nothing more now than to spread his teachings and save the world from Caedin's destruction. Also at this time, the Dark Interlopers offered the Fused Shadow to the Light Warrior wielding the Triforce of Power, as they deemed him the only one suitable to use it._

"_72 hours later, Caedin and his forces returned to the city and offered the chance to surrender once again. At the Resistance's refusal, he launched another attack. The Three Chosen Warriors, along with the Night Guardian, as he was now called, successfully merged the pieces of the Triforce, the Fused Shadow, and the Night Magic to form a single being. This entity fought Caedin on equal footing and after a long duel, finally weakened him enough that the Goddesses were able to intervene. _

"_They sealed Caedin, along with all of the Magicians of Darkness into the Night Realm, where they deemed they would no longer cause trouble. Unfortunately, in doing so, they accidentally sent the Dark Interlopers into the realm now known as the Twilight Realm. They became the Twili, people living in the Twilight. Some of the Magicians who sided with the Resistance, along with the Bearer of Mediation, offered to travel to the Night Realm to guard the seals holding the traitors. They became the Night Dwellers, and lived peacefully now that the main threat was gone._

"_It is said the Magicians of Darkness, with the exception of Caedin, passed away, wanting to deal with their burden no longer. Caedin's seal, along with the seals holding the Masks of Majora and Fierce Deity, was to remain intact as to not allow them to escape and cause any trouble. The Bearer of Mediation was not heard from again, and his piece, along with the other Triforce pieces, returned to the Sacred Realm, until such time they would be called upon again."_

* * *

><p>Darian looked up from the reading. Link and Zelda stared back at him, listening to his every word. None of them spoke for a time, pondering over everything they had just learned. Link finally spoke first.<p>

"So… We are up against a madman who is plotting the end of the world, huh? But it doesn't make any sense. How was he able to break the seal the Goddesses themselves placed?"

"Link, since when does anything make sense regarding the end of the world?" Darian countered. Link sat back, murmuring "Touché." Zelda took her glasses off and placed the book back on the shelf. She sat back down and stared at the two men.

"Well, I think we know what we must do. We find the one who wields the Triforce of Power, use our powers, and destroy Caedin once and for all." she said with finality.

Link and Darian nodded, both realizing the magnitude of the quest they were about to embark on. Link took out the broken Fused Shadow and looked at it.

"Is that the Fused Shadow you and I recovered back in the Eldin fields?" Darian asked.

"Yes," Link answered. "As I said before, I thought you would know what to do with it, considering Ordona seemed to think so." he finished, looking at Zelda.

"Unfortunately I do not," Zelda responded sadly. "I think the only way back to the Twilight Realm was the Mirror." Darian refused to believe it.

"I really think there is another way," he countered. "I doubt the Goddesses made only one connection to the Twilight. What in the world?" The broken Fused Shadow pieces suddenly floated into the air. At the same time, all three of their Triforces started glowing furiously.

"What the hell?" Link said in disbelief. Right before their eyes, the Fused Shadow was slowly but surely mending itself, using the golden power of the Triforce. "I don't believe it! It's repairing itself!" Zelda and Darian could only watch in wonder as the pieces became one again. It floated towards Link and he gently caught it… And almost dropped it one second later as a voice spoke through it. _In the absence of the one bearing Power, you have been chosen to use our magic, oh Hero of Light and Twilight._

Darian could only stare, dumbfounded, at the events that had just transpired, and Zelda gasped. She looked at Link with worry in her eyes. "Link, that thing is dangerous! Don't listen to it!"

Darian finally recovered and looked at Link and then the Fused Shadow. "No, I believe he was destined to wield some of its power. Remember Zelda, that piece of the Fused Shadow contains only one quarter of its power. It also has chosen him, meaning he is worthy to use it without the threat of being corrupted. But Link be careful and do not revel in power, for it shall lead you astray."

"Guys you worry too much," Link grinned. "I'll only use it to protect those I care about. Trust me."

"I respect your decision, and I will help you in any way I can so you can master its power," Darian smiled. Zelda hesitated, but then she too relaxed.

"Link, I trust you will do the right thing. Darian, I know you too will help us against Caedin. It is the only way we can prevent the end of the world." She shuddered at the thought.

"On my life as the Bearer of Mediation, I will help you both."

All three of them gasped at what happened next. Their Triforces reacted violently and golden light bathed the room. They did not know how long this lasted, or when it would stop, the glowing became more and more intense. When it finally dimmed down, they looked at their hands and were astonished at the sight.

Link's Triforce was much brighter, but that wasn't the only difference. The Triforces of Wisdom and Mediation could now faintly be seen on his hand as well. The point connecting Wisdom and Courage contained star similar to the one Darian once showed him, symbolizing their connection. Finally, the line between Courage and Mediation was outlined more clearly in a darker gold shade. Zelda looked at her hand and saw a similar image, only Wisdom was bright and Courage was faint.

Darian's Triforce was now a shade between gold and white, with clear, dark gold lines separating his Triforce from Courage and Wisdom. The star between Courage and Wisdom was now white, and strengthened the closer the three of them stood. "Wow," he breathed. "I think this is the first step the Goddesses wanted us to take. Because we trust each other completely, our bonds grew stronger and our Triforces shine brighter. We only need Power now." He smiled at his two friends. They returned the gesture, but Zelda spoke.

"I don't know about you two, but it has been a long day. Maybe we should head to bed? You both can stay here in the castle if you would like." Both Link and Darian nodded and murmured their thanks. Darian stood up and stretched his wings. Zelda rolled her eyes and said "Showoff. We don't have that luxury."

"What? I can't stretch them out? I have not flown all day! That usually makes me cramp up the following day!" He answered with a wry smile and a wink.

* * *

><p><em>It was damp and cold. The dungeons were dark and there were no guards. There didn't have to be any. The chains that held the prisoners were enhanced with magic to prevent their escape. <em>

_One of the prisoners was a woman. She was roughly 17 years old and was tall and beautiful. She was wearing the traditional Twilight garb that only added to her exotic features. She looked up slightly, her ruby eyes half open, and allowed tears to fall down her face. "Link… My love… Where are you…? Please… Help me…"_

_The other prisoner was a male. He was 18 years of age, had pale skin, short and ruffled jet black hair, and emerald green eyes. He looked at the woman, and back down to the ground. He was similarly chained, and thus could not break out of this cell either. "Darian… Ionin… I hope you both are okay… Please… One of you… Anyone…" He turned to the woman. "Who are you? And what are you doing chained up here?"_

"_My name is Midna," she said through tears. "I am the Twilight Princess. I was imprisoned here by the madman Zant who now sits on my throne again." He looked at her, shocked… Zant… Midna continued. "Who are you? I have never seen you around here before…"_

"_Drimani. I am from the Night Realm. My brothers and I were attacked by the same person who attacked you. I escaped through a portal and ended up here. Not long afterwards though, Zant attacked and the next thing I know, I woke up here… Who is Link? Why do you call his name?" he asked out of curiosity._

"_Link… He… He is a Light-dweller. He and I were on an adventure together and we defeated Zant once before… I guess I was wrong. He is back… I love Link… I realized it too late before I shattered the only way to get here from the Light Realm… Who are Darian and Ionin?"_

"_They are my brothers… Oh gods… I hope they are okay…" Drimani was cut off as the door to the dungeon swung open. "Midna… Whatever happens here, we must be strong. They will come for us. I know it."_

"_I hope so Drimani, I hope so." A light cackling was heard._

"_Ahhh I hear our two prisoners are awake?"_

"_Zant," Midna and Drimani growled._

* * *

><p>Link awoke with a start, panting and sweating. <em>Midna. Zant has her! I must go!<em> He was out of the door and running to Zelda's room…

In the next room, Darian awoke just as suddenly. _Drimani…_ He too was quickly out of the room…

They ran into each other, noticing the other just as disheveled.

"You saw them too, huh?" Link had a bad feeling about this.

"Yes. They were chained in a dungeon." Horror came on both of their faces.

"Midna…"

"Drimani…"

"Let's go. They need us."

* * *

><p>R&amp;R? How are my first 5 chapters?<p> 


	6. A Way Back

Chapter 6: A Way Back

Link ran to Zelda's room, his hat askew, Darian hot on his heels.

"So what's the plan? How are we getting there and once we get there, how do we bust them out?" Darian panted.

"No idea! I usually just follow my instincts and they almost never prove me wrong." Link answered.

"Ah, so we wing it. Just my kind of adventure!" Darian said with a grin.

"What are you two going on about?" Zelda had opened the door before either of them could knock and was now eyeing them suspiciously.

"Well…" Link hesitated, but regained his ground. "We're heading to the Twilight Realm."

"Apparently he and I had the same dream." Darian explained. "Zant took over the Twilight Realm and both the Twilight Princess and my younger brother are being held in the palace dungeons. We were going to get them out of there."

"_Are you two out of your minds?"_ Zelda hissed. "You can't just barge in there hoping to simply take them and leave! Zant will probably have the place fortified, especially since he failed once before to keep a hold of the realm! Think about what you're doing! You might as well be walking to his throne room and saying 'here we are! Take us!'" Zelda was practically shouting. Link and Darian looked at each other and simply smiled. "ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME RIGHT NOW?"

"That's the brilliance of the plan though!" Darian laughed. "Zant isn't expecting only two people to simply stroll into the palace and free the prisoners. Think of how absurd the idea would be! It's perfect because it's so absurd! He won't be expecting it!"

"Besides, Zelda." Link spoke up. "I've always done things on the fly. It's my area of specialty! I really think this will work! I believe Darian and I are perfect for the job!" He and Darian readied their weapons and turned around to leave. Zelda was not having any of this.

She crossed the length of the room in three quick strides, preventing the two men from leaving. She slapped both of them across the face. "YOU REALLY WANT TO GET YOURSELVES KILLED?" she screamed.

"Do you really expect us to just sit here while Midna and Drimani are tortured or worse killed?" Link fired back. "I lost Midna once, I'm NOT losing her for good!"

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "What would she say if she heard the Hero got himself killed trying to save her when the world depended on him?" she said dangerously. Darian came to Link's defense.

"The same thing Drimani would say if I got myself killed. But you know what? That doesn't matter! The only thing that matters now is getting them out. I'm not letting them die, and I doubt Link would be willing to either!"

"ARGH! Listen to yourselves!" Zelda cried desperately. "You would really be willing to throw away your lives for two people?"

"I love Midna! So much so that I would immediately sacrifice myself for her!" Link exclaimed. "I'm sure Darian feels the same way about his brother, although in a different light of course."

Darian nodded. "We won't get ourselves killed, you have our word." Zelda looked at them both. _Such determination in their eyes. They really would be willing to go through hell to get them back. But what if…?_ "Zelda, are you okay? What's wrong?" She was in tears now, but she didn't care.

"Link I know you always acted first before you thought of a plan. But that can only get you so far…" She turned to Darian and started crying in earnest. "But I never thought you would be the same way. I thought you would have had some sense in you! Idiot!" She threw herself on Darian and sobbed uncontrollably on his shoulder. He looked at her with genuine care in his eyes. He held her close to him and let her cry, whispering words of comfort.

She finally pulled herself away from him and recomposed herself. Looking at them both, she sighed. "I can't bear to lose either of you. I'm sorry I lost control like that."

"You won't lose us," Link reassured her. "And besides, we were first going to head to the Twilight Realm and scout the area. See what we're up against, you know? Once we did that, we were going to formulate the appropriate plan. Seeing as Zant became a lot stronger, we cannot afford for him to find out… At least until we get Midna and Drimani out."

"I know a few spells that would be of great help to us while we go on our rescue mission," Darian added. "We should be back safely with them." He smiled. Zelda was pondering over everything that had been said. Her mind made up, she told them to wait in the room for a minute while she went to get a few supplies. Darian turned to Link.

"So how are we going to get to the Twilight Realm anyways?" he asked.

"Well…" Link thought about it, and slowly pulled out the Fused Shadow. "Maybe this can help." Right on cue, it spoke again. "_Hero of Light and Twilight. In order to reach the Realm of Twilight, you must combine our power with the light embedded in your Master Sword at the place where the Mirror of Twilight was once held. We shall help you, but you must trust us."_

"Well I guess we have our answer then, don't we? There's our way in." Darian grinned. The door opened again and Zelda walked in, a long thin blade in her hand. Link's and Darian's mouths fell open.

"Oh no!"

"Absolutely not!"

Zelda stood firm. "I either come with you or none of us go." Link and Darian could not fight her. They simply nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you. Since that has been settled… Captain Medeus!" she called. An armored figure ran into the room. "Ah good, you're here."

"What can I do for you Princess?" he bowed respectfully.

"I would like for you to run things here while I am gone with these two. I shan't be long."

"Y- yes Y-Your Highness." Medeus stammered. He looked at Link and Darian. "You two better take good care of our princess, you hear?"

"Nothing will befall her, do not worry." Link responded with a smile. Darian nodded in agreement.

"Good, then let us be off at once." Zelda left the room, Link and Darian close behind. Once they were out onto the palace grounds, Zelda and Darian fastened their traveling cloaks so as to not draw attention. Link led the way to the eastern side of Castle Town, where he was promptly mauled by the annoying fangirls and other townspeople alike. Once he managed to detach himself from their clutches, he started running, waving his hands in the air and screaming his heart out. Zelda face palmed and Darian simply looked on in amusement. Link disappeared in a darker alley when he turned to Zelda.

"Umm… What is he doing?" That question was answered for him in the next five seconds. A great wolf bounded out of the alleyway. The crowd previously following Link quickly turned around and screamed at the top of their lungs, flailing their arms around helplessly. "AAAAHHHHH! MONSTER!" Zelda and Darian could not help but laugh. Hard. As the wolf trotted toward them and stopped right in front of them, Darian looked quizzically at Zelda. He turned his attention to the wolf and noticed something familiar. _Those eyes…_ He blinked several times as he thought he saw it wink.

"Did you just see that?" he asked. Zelda knelt in front of the creature.

"Okay Mr. Showoff, you had your fun. Now we need to go." The wolf barked once.

"Zelda… Why are you talking to the wolf like…?" Darian finally realized what, or rather who, the wolf really was. "You have GOT to be kidding me!" he exclaimed before roaring with laughter. Zelda too was laughing as the wolf led them out of castle town. Once they cleared the bridge, Link reverted back to his human form, pocketing the shadow crystal.

"That was epic." Darian said with a mischievous grin. You NEED to do that again in the near future." Link laughed.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the show, but I can only do it so often before the people wizen up." Becoming serious, he continued. "The Fused Shadow told me to go to the Mirror Chamber and combine its power with the light of the Master Sword."

Zelda looked skeptically at him before relenting. "Okay. If there is nothing else we can do. Both of you grab my hands. I will get us there." Once the two had a firm hold on her hands, she called upon the power of Farore's Wind, and a few seconds later they were back in the Mirror Chamber.

"This place brings back so many memories…" Link trailed off, walking up the steps to look at the pedestal once holding the grand mirror. He took out the Fused Shadow and unsheathed the Master Sword. _"We shall guide you, but you must trust us Hero."_

At once the Fused Shadow glowed, and the mirror shards all floated into the air, emitting an eerie white light. Link put his faith in the Fused Shadow, and his Triforce started glowing, now much stronger than ever before. The mirror shards seemed to melt, forming a white liquid. The Master Sword seemed to pull the liquid toward it, and Link did not stop it. The liquid touched the blade, and white light erupted, so powerful that it blinded the Hero and his two companions. At last, when they could see, Link gasped.

The Master Sword was now glowing white, with strips of gold spiraling up the blade to come to a point at its tip. He knew it worked, and the Fused Shadow encouraged him. _"Now Hero. State your destination loud and clear and point your blade at the black stone."_ Link took a breath, Zelda and Darian watching intently.

"I, the Hero of Light and Twilight, wish to enter the Twilight Realm!" he spoke, pointing the Master Sword at the stone. For a moment nothing happened. But then, gold light shot out of the blade and went into the stone, creating the familiar intricate patterns once visible on the mirror. It had worked. They were now able to enter the Twilight Realm. _Midna… Just hold on. I'm coming._

Darian looked in awe. He had never expected Link to wield such power. _He truly is the Hero spoken about in the scriptures._ His thoughts shifted to his little brother. _Drimani… I'll get you out of there. Don't give in just yet. _He walked up the stairs to join Link. "This is it then huh? The portal? Nice job Link. Let's get Midna and Drimani back."

"Guys hold on," Zelda said warily. "I think the Sages want an audience with us." True to her word, the five Sages appeared behind them. The Sage of Light stepped forward.

"_Hero of Light and Twilight, Princess of Light, and Guardian of the Night. You have all joined forces. But this is only the beginning. You must find the Bearer of Power in order to fight the Dark One on equal footing."_

"So Caedin really broke the seal…?" Link asked.

"_Yes, Hero. The Dark One is free once again and roaming the Realm of Night as we speak, getting stronger by the minute. We see you are venturing to the Twilight Realm to rescue loved ones, no doubt the Twilight Princess and the Night Prince Drimani. Take great caution, as the usurper is stronger now, using the Dark One's magic for his own purposes."_

"We will, thank you," Zelda said before respectfully bowing her head. The three turned to enter the portal when the Sage spoke again.

"_Guardian, I have one more message to convey to you. It concerns the Night Realm."_ Darian turned and listened intently. _"The King of the Night Realm is dead. It appears he was imprisoned by the usurper, however the Dark One murdered him. He did manage to put up a fight, however. We are sorry Guardian."_

"Ionin is… Gone…?" Darian croaked, holding back tears.

"_Yes. This means the Night Realm turns to a new ruler. That new ruler… Is you… Night King."_ With that, the Sages disappeared.

"Ionin…" Darian could not believe it. Ionin… Dead. _Ionin… I'm sorry. I was unable to help you… I'm sorry. I promise you that your death will not be in vain._ He let one tear fall, and Zelda held him close to her. It was Link who spoke, however.

"Darian… I'm sorry. I cannot begin to comprehend exactly what you are going through."

"Thanks Link. I made a promise. That Ionin's death will not be in vain." Zelda gently pried him from her, but not before kissing him softly. He was initially surprised, but immediately returned the motion. Darian stood up. "Let's go rescue Midna and Drimani, and then we have a bastard to kill." With that, they walked through the portal and appeared in the Twilight Realm.

"This is exactly how I remember it. Gods I missed this place." Link murmured. The skies were orange from the color of twilight, with soft black clouds hanging above and below the plateau, and familiar black squares were rising towards the heavens. Zelda and Darian took in the serene beauty that was the Twilight, neither of them having visited previously.

_I wish Ionin were here to see this. He would have loved it,_ Darian thought miserably. He then turned to gaze upon the Princess staring out into the fields below. Something about her just seemed to have an effect on him, washing away his sorrows, replacing them with happiness. _She's beautiful… And the kindest person I could ever meet. An angel._ He remembered their kiss just moments ago and suddenly, without meaning to, the words came out of his mouth. "Could this be our honeymoon spot please?"

Zelda blushed furiously and poked him in the chest. "Hey. I never said I was going to marry you. One step at a time, O Great King of the Night Realm." She emphasized his title sardonically.

Darian laughed, and it was not forced but genuine. "Okay okay." he answered dramatically.

"Could you two please get back to the task on hand? That stuff can wait till later! Or if you keep going Midna and I can pull out comments much worse," Link threatened half-jokingly and winked at them. Darian and Zelda both were blushing a violent shade of crimson. Darian cleared his throat and took a look at the palace with his new love and best friend.

The grounds appeared to be deserted. No guards seemed to be present. This struck them as odd. Surely there must be guards or Shadow Beasts running about, protecting the madman who was now probably sitting on his throne! Darian suddenly formulated an idea.

"Guys I'm going to go on ahead and survey everything, to make sure this isn't an illusion. You wait over there." He pointed to a rock outcrop close to the portal. "I'll come back and give you the full report." He murmured a spell while holding his traveling cloak. "_Nox Imico."_ His cloak now acted as a camouflage, completely hiding his body except his head. "I'll come back, don't worry," he promised before taking to the skies. Raising his hood up, he became completely invisible to Link and Zelda.

Darian flew above the palace, not noticing anything out of the ordinary at first glance. However, a closer inspection revealed a transparent barrier. He slowly reached out to touch it… And easily passed right through. What he saw next made his heart stop.

Shadow Beasts. Tons of them. All waiting at the front entrance to the palace. As Darian was successfully camouflaged, they could not see him. He thus safely flew around the castle, checking any nooks and crannies for a possible side entrance. Secret entrances were better, if they existed. He found two more entrances, on the east and south sides, but those too were heavily guarded. _Wow, Zelda was not kidding when she predicted Zant would be more careful. This is going to be quite annoying._

That's when he discovered a peculiar brick jutting out from the northeast corner. Flying closer to have a better look, Darian noticed the section around it seemed like it could cave in. He tried touching the brick, only to find that his hand passed right through. _Another illusion. I wonder if… _He decided to be bold and fly into the wall… And just as he predicted, he passed through it, and found himself in a secret passageway. Remembering his promise to Link and Zelda, he flew back out to them.

"Any news?" Zelda asked.

"Yes and you won't like it very much. It's just like I thought. There's a barrier surrounding the palace, providing an illusion to outsiders. This is presumably to make them believe they could easily walk through the front door and confront Zant. Unfortunately, there are so many guards and beasts guarding the three entrances that we would exhaust ourselves fighting them all!"

"I think it may be our only option though," Link said, readying his weapon.

"No, it isn't. I found a secret entrance on the northeast corner of the palace. We can sneak in through there." Link groaned.

"All this sneaking around! Why can't we just do it the old-fashioned way?"

"Why fight when we can simply avoid it all?" Zelda pointed out. "If we get Midna and Drimani out of there before all the guards notice, we can escape back to the Light Realm and plan our next course of action without even alerting them to our presence!"

"Good point," Link responded. "I also have this." He pulled out the Palace of Twilight dungeon map. "I figured since we were coming back here we might need this."

"Excellent!" Darian smiled. "Give me a moment now to camouflage you two and then we can go." He murmured the incantation again, and Link and Zelda felt something cool covering their bodies. "Okay. Zelda, you hop on my back first, and I'll take you to the entrance. Link I'll come back for you." Darian spread his wings, allowing Zelda to hook her arms around his neck. With a powerful flap, they were off. A few minutes later, Darian came back for Link, as promised. The flight, Link noticed, was smooth. Darian was obviously well practiced. A moment later, the three friends were staring at the dark path ahead.

Link pulled out his map. "We are in the northeast corner entrance. We need to travel along this passage until it gets us to the main hall. From there, we take a right and then a left. We follow the stairs and they will lead us straight to the dungeons."

"Okay then. Since you have been here before, you lead us," Zelda said. With that, the rescue mission began.

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><p>The action will all start next chapter! Stay tuned! R&amp;R<p> 


	7. Daring Rescue

This chapter will not only have action, but some funny and sappy moments too. Enjoy!

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><p>Chapter 7: Daring Rescue<p>

_Midna and Drimani were back in their cell, chained and weak. Zant had done a number on their bodies. Red welts could clearly be seen all over their arms and legs. Their bodies were cold and clammy, no doubt caused by the usurper king. _

_Drimani was still fully conscious, having survived much worse injuries during wars he fought with his brothers. "Darian… Ionin…" He looked at Midna and was appalled by her current state._

_She was now unconscious, her head dangling down like a puppet cut the strings holding it up. Her breathing was shallow and every now and again she would murmur incoherent phrases. Drimani knew she could not last much longer. If Zant wasn't going to kill her body, the illness would. "Link…" he thought. "If you are going to do something, you better do it quick… Midna does not have much time… She needs you." Soon, he too fell unconscious._

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><p>"Did you feel that?" Link felt cold all of a sudden, as if someone had lowered his body temperature by a few degrees. He, Zelda, and Darian were walking along the secret passage they knew would lead to the main hall. So far they had not met any monsters or guards. It was eerily quiet, and the only sounds heard were their footsteps echoing in the hallway.<p>

"If you are referring to the sudden cold, then yes, I felt it too," Darian answered. He also felt as if someone was trying to contact him. The voice was faint, yet it seemed that it originated from somewhere in this very palace. He could not tell who it was, or what it said, but he knew something was familiar about the voice.

Zelda alone did not feel the adverse effects. "I don't know what you two are talking about," she said quietly. "It didn't get colder all of a sudden. I feel fine as it is."

"Speak for yourself Zelda. I feel as if… As if I'm losing a piece of myself. Like something is being cut out of my life." Link stated. Darian nodded in agreement and the conversation stopped there. They slowly made their way to the hall, careful to not make any unnecessary noises lest they be trapped in the small passageway. Darian had to fold his wings in because they were so cramped.

At this point they were walking in a single-file line, Link leading the group, map in one hand, Master Sword in the other. The blade still shone brightly from the power of the Sols, providing a good light source. Zelda was in the middle of the group, now providing heat from a small flame (a more controlled and gentle version of Din's Fire). Darian was last, walking backwards, protecting the group from a possible attack from behind.

They stopped when they approached a wall of rock. Link looked at his map again and frowned. _This wall is not supposed to be there, only an opening leading to the main hall._ Zelda noticed Link was troubled. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes. I'm looking at this map, and it says there should be an opening right there." He pointed to the wall. "But all I see is this rock. I'd rather not bomb it and attract unwanted attention…" Zelda nodded. Darian, meanwhile, strode up to the rock and looked at it carefully.

"Hmm… Link, are you sure the map says the opening is here?" When Link murmured an affirmative, Darian turned his attention back to the rock. Just from sight, there seemed to be nothing wrong. "Maybe it just caved in or something… Or…" He made to punch the rock, yet his hand passed through. "It is just another illusion."

"Nice one!" Link grinned and clapped Darian in the back. The three of them strode into the main hall. It was just how Link had remembered it from his last visit. He took another look at the map. "Okay, it says we should take the second door on the right, and then the third door on the left. We follow the stairs down to the dungeons where Midna and Drimani should be." They heard a loud screech from the top of the stairs behind them.

"If we even make it that far," Zelda muttered before the three of them looked up the staircase. Ten Shadow Beasts were coming down, straight for them.

"Well this will at least be some exercise." Darian said, with a hint of a smile. It was clear he was itching to have a go at them. "Well hello friends!" he called to the beasts. "Come to your first lesson I see, eh? Alright! Class is now in session!" He readied his whip. "We, Professors Zelda, Link, and Darian, will be your teachers. Here is a little interactive activity I like to call 'students disobey, students whipped!'" he boomed, while leveling two monsters with a hard smack of his whip. He spun around and lashed forward, launching two more beasts into the wall, and then brought the whip over his head and brought it down on another.

Link was cracking up this entire time, and Zelda looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He readied his Master Sword and shield. "This guy is my new best friend!" he laughed before charging in. "Professor Link would like to teach you a little about the sword now!" he taunted, before executing a marvelous Back Slice, followed by a Shield Attack and Helm Splitter on another that raised its arm to strike him. He finished the last three with a perfectly timed Great Spin.

They turned around to see another ten Shadow Beasts coming out of a door. Link winked at Darian. "Well it seems our students would like another lesson. Professor Darian, would you please teach them the lesson of patience?" Darian laughed. Zelda cut in, wanting to play around a bit as well.

"Actually, Professor Zelda would like to step in, if you boys would please."

Link and Darian roared with laughter. "By all means, please share!" Link teased. Zelda pulled out some throwing knives.

"Here is an exercise I like to call 'Headshots with Knives.' You play with sharp objects, you get cut!" She fired five knives at the approaching Shadow Beasts. Four of them lodged themselves in the heads of their targets, while the last entered the chest.

"Tsk tsk," Darian wiggled a finger. "Professor Zelda, I think your aim is slightly off."

"Yeah, Professor. Maybe you should practice your own exercise a little more," Link chimed in. The next five knives all found their targets. The two men clapped, while Zelda bowed mockingly.

"Now what were you boys saying?" she teased.

"Uhh, nothing! Nothing at all!"

"All we said was 'Great job, Professor!'"

"That's what I thought."

The three continued to laugh for a bit and then took a moment to catch their breath. They helped Zelda pick up her knives and headed towards the next room. Link sobered up as they approached the door. "I bet the closer we get to the dungeons, the more guards there will be." Darian and Zelda both agreed and readied their weapons once more. Link touched the door, and the runes glowed blue before the door opened, revealing more Shadow Beasts waiting for them on the other side. Roughly thirty of them.

"Looks like our students need to be punished some more," Darian sighed. He turned to Link and Zelda, who nodded their heads. He noticed Link smiling mischievously. "Link what are you planning?" he asked cautiously.

"Why don't we… Let's say… Make this a competition? Whoever has the least amount of kills has to buy us dinner when we get back to the Light Realm!"

"Oh you're on!" Darian exclaimed.

"Then it looks like one of you two will have to do just that!" Zelda laughed.

"Getting full of ourselves are we Zelda?" Link joked. Zelda readied her knives.

"No… I think she means business. But either way, I'm NOT buying dinner!" Darian flew in the air and dove straight into the fray, quickly and efficiently attacking with his whip.

"Oh no you don't!" Link yelled before going Rambo on a group of beasts, slashing the Master Sword this way and that, quickly cutting down all opposition.

"What the- HEY!" Zelda screamed. She threw her knives easily, killing as many targets as the number of knives she threw.

The battle was all over in less than a minute. The three competitors looked at the scene and were surprised it was over that quickly. Link made the final tallies.

"Well after the fighting, the scores are as follows. I got eleven kills, Darian also got eleven, which means Zelda got eight. Ohhh, I'm sorry Zelda, looks like you're going to have to get us dinner." He and Darian high-fived.

"But but but," Zelda pouted. "Come on. Can't you cut this lady some slack?" she made the cutest puppy-eyed pouty face she could muster. Link merely laughed. Darian, meanwhile, walked over and kissed her sweetly.

"Oh no Princess." he joked. "I'm afraid rules are rules. You got less kills than we did, therefore you have to buy us dinner."

Zelda smacked his arm playfully. "Dariannnn!"

"Fine fine, I'll get dinner this time around. I'll be the gentleman here."

Link put two fingers in his mouth and made a gagging noise. "I swear, if you two keep going, Midna and I are REALLY going to make you suffer! Don't tempt me!"

"Hmm… Alright fine, we'll stop." Darian smirked. "For now." They stopped laughing immediately when they opened the door leading to the dungeons, for on the stairs were so many Shadow Beasts that their number could not be counted.

"Oh WHAT THE HELL!" Link shouted. "YOU GUYS WON'T GIVE UP!"

Darian too was irritated. "Well THIS certainly changes things slightly." He put the whip away and pulled out twin daggers. "I can't even use the whip for fear of hurting either of you and I can't exactly fly since the hall is too short. Looks like we'll have to fight our way in." He expertly twirled the daggers before promptly plunging one into a Shadow Beast's chest. Using his leverage, he flipped over the beast, stabbing a second, before pulling out the daggers and running both through a third.

He then ducked as Link came running in, beheading two in one smooth stroke and stabbing three more. He then flipped out of the way as Darian took over, slicing two more across the neck and using his own spin attack, cut down two more. They repeated this pattern a few times, slowly moving down the flight of stairs (a flight too long in their minds). Zelda helped them as much as she could, throwing a few knives at beasts that were ready to take a swipe at Link or Darian. She also used her blade to cut down any more that managed to move behind the two men.

Just as the party was three quarters of the way down, the door at the top of the stairs opened, revealing more shadow beasts and guards.

"Guys, I think we have a small problem!" Zelda called after finishing off the last monster between her and Darian. Link had moved further down the stairs, leaving a few Shadow Beasts behind for cleanup. Darian turned around, and this time he lost it too.

"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW! WE DO _NOT_ HAVE TIME FOR THIS CRAP!" he yelled. "_SHILIOS ORNEM!"_ The blue barrier formed as the monsters were nearing Zelda. They collided with the barrier, unable to get past it, leaving Zelda enough time to recover her throwing knives. She looked at Darian.

"Darian, is there a way to let them through one at a time?" He nodded. "Good! Then let that happen! I'll deal with them as they come down!" She readied her blade.

"Ready?" he said. When Zelda nodded her head, he let the barrier dissipate for a brief moment, allowing one Shadow Beast through. She made short work of it, dodging its swipe and stabbing it in the chest. This process was repeated many times, although when one Shadow Beast was finished, another stepped forth to take its place.

"Link, how many more on your end?" Darian called. He was beginning to tire, the barrier becoming weaker every time a Shadow Beast rammed into it.

"Pretty much done!" Link yelled back as he fought the last few monsters. He finally killed the last one and kicked down the door leading to the dungeons. He began to search frantically for the cell holding the love of his life and Darian's brother. He stumbled across a cell holding two prisoners. One of them was a man, roughly his age. He had jet-black hair, like Darian, but it was short. His eyes were emerald green.

"Who-?" he asked.

Link stopped as he recognized the woman chained on the far wall. Tall, long red hair, and light blue skinned… _Midna_. She warily turned her head and looked at him with the ruby eyes he so vividly remembered.

"Link…" He was shocked that she sounded so weak. He lowered his hood.

"Yes Midna, I'm here. Don't worry, we'll get you out." He looked back up to the dungeon entrance. "Found them!" he called.

"That's great! Now can you please get in there and get them out?" Zelda shouted back.

"And make it quick! We don't have much time! My barrier's cracking!" Darian added.

"Darian…!" spoke the other prisoner. He seemed to be stronger than Midna at this point.

"You must be Drimani," Link said gently.

"Yes. You're Link, I presume?" He nodded an affirmative. More crashes and roars could be heard.

"LINK!"

"I'll be as quick as possible!" Link said, slightly irritated as he began to work on the lock. "Damn thing, why won't it open?" he growled. Zelda shortly joined him.

"Let me try." She concentrated for a moment, and gold light shot out from her fingertip and went into the lock. It opened immediately.

"Why aren't you with Darian?" Link asked as they ran in. He immediately started working on Midna's bindings.

"He told me to help you with the locks. He said he could hold off the beasts for a little while longer." Zelda responded as she went to unlock Drimani's chains.

"Darian's up there all alone battling those things?" Drimani questioned angrily. "That's suicide! There are so many of them!"

"You underestimate his strength. When he fights for those he cares about almost nothing can stop him." Zelda answered kindly.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to fight against him," Link added. He was now working on the chains holding Midna's legs. She looked up at him weakly and let a tear fall.

"You stupid stupid wolf. Why did you come back?"

"Midna… I should have said this before you broke the Mirror. And I'm sorry I didn't. I regret that time so much, because I thought I wasn't going to be able to ever tell you… But I finally found you." By now Link finished freeing Midna. He now held her in his arms, his face inches away from hers. "Midna… I… I love you." he said quietly before pressing his lips to hers.

Her lips were soft and sweet; indeed Link felt as if he were kissing the lips of a Goddess. She returned the motion gently, and both of their hearts beat as one. Unbeknownst to them, Link's Triforce lit up and golden energy surrounded them both, providing a large energy and healing boost.

When they finally broke contact, they looked at each other, ocean blue eyes staring into ruby red, and they knew no words needed to be said. Suddenly a large crash and a roar brought them back to reality.

"GUYS, HURRY UP! I CAN'T HOLD THEM OFF FOR MUCH LONGER!" Darian roared.

"We have to go," Link said gently. Pulling Midna up with him, they ran out of the cell, new energy flowing through them both. Zelda and Drimani followed them, pulling out their throwing knives and sword, respectively.

"AAAHHH!" The barrier finally shattered and a Shadow Beast rammed straight through and hit Darian. Link ran and caught him just as he was about to hit the ground. Zelda ran over and helped them both up. She noticed Darian looked weak and decided to give him a little energy of her own using the Triforce of Wisdom. Link also threw him a bottle of red potion, saying he will need it more. After chugging it down, Darian felt rejuvenated and was ready to fight again. Looking up the stairs, the group noticed more Shadow Beasts coming towards them.

"Wow they are so persistent," Zelda said in dismay.

"Well five of us are definitely better than three," Link said cheerfully. He looked at Midna and Drimani. "If they can fight that is."

"Puh-lease! Just who do you think you're talking about wolf-boy?" Midna said impishly. "Of course I can fight!" Just to prove her strength, she fired two bolts of purple magic from her hands, immediately destroying five Shadow Beasts.

Drimani then shot a bolt of blue magic from his free hand that passed through three more beasts, shocking them.

"Okay now you're just making us look bad," Darian laughed. "I thought we were the ones who were supposed to be doing the rescuing here!" Four throwing knives killed their targets, courtesy of Zelda. Darian looked at Link. Now he looked insulted. "Okay what the heck…" Link took the hint.

"Okay THAT'S IT! OUT OF OUR WAY!" he yelled.

Their Triforces reacting with each other, Link and Darian moved with inhuman speed, striking and smiting all Shadow Beasts within their reach. Daggers and sword moved fluidly and flawlessly, while their reflexes allowed them to easily dodge counterattacks. This went on for roughly a minute, while the remaining Shadow Beasts were cut down.

Finally escaping the dungeons, the five of them moved into the main hall, Link and Midna leading the way. Striking down a few more guards with Night Magic, Drimani turned to Zelda. "I never got a chance to ask you for your name. I'm Drimani."

"My name is Zelda."

"And what a handful she is," Darian added. This earned him another smack in the arm.

"Wrong thing to say Darian," Link chuckled.

When they finally ran outside of the palace, they stopped and stared. The portal back to the Light Realm lay roughly two hundred meters away. However, standing in the way were one hundred Shadow Beasts, all looking at them, ready to charge.

"These guys just never learn, do they?" Link muttered.

"I personally think they would like another lesson." Darian voiced his opinion.

"Why not make it another competition?" Zelda asked with a sly smile on her face.

"Hey I'm not Darian! I'm not buying you dinner, even if you pout!" Link exclaimed. Darian laughed while Midna and Drimani looked at them questioningly. Link decided to clear things up for them.

"I think that I, Professor Link, will get the most kills." Midna immediately caught on.

"Excuse me," she said sweetly. "I think you're forgetting Professor Midna." Finally Drimani caught on and cleared his throat.

"Umm, DOCTOR Drimani will definitely kill the most!"

Darian roared with laughter. "You won't beat the esteemed Professor Darian, little brother!"

"I say Professor Zelda already has ten kills!" Zelda said cheerfully. Everyone stared with their mouths open. Indeed she had already killed ten with throwing knives and was cutting down another with her sword. Darian recovered first.

"Oh HELL no!" He flew into the air again and attacked with his whip before landing in the middle of a group, spinning with his whip smacking many beasts down.

Link was next. "I'M NOT BUYING DINNER!" he yelled, going Rambo again, not caring what he sliced, as long as it was dead.

Drimani jumped in next. "You CHEATERS! Don't you start without me!" he ran at the horde, swinging his sword and firing blue bolts of magic.

Midna finally recovered from the original shock and watched Link fight. _Just like I remember him, _she thought. She then remembered she was in the competition too. "Step aside people and watch the REAL master at work!"

Five minutes later, one hundred Shadow Beasts lay dead. Five people from three different realms stood surveying the scene: Link was calculating the kills, Zelda was cleaning her throwing knives, Midna was leaning on Link's shoulder, and Darian and Drimani had their arms around each others' shoulder, glad the other was alive.

Link finally stepped forward, his calculations made. "Alright. Well this time around the scores are as follows: Darian had twenty-six, I took out twenty-four, Drimani got nineteen, Midna had sixteen, and finally Zelda killed fifteen."

"HA!" Darian pointed one finger at Zelda. "You took a head start and STILL got last! Pay up girl!"

"Come on Zelda, you HAVE to now," Link added playfully. "That was the second time you lost."

Zelda pouted and looked to Midna for help, immediately getting her wish. The Twilight Princess walked up to Link and grabbed him by the ear teasingly. "You're paying this time, wolf-boy." Link yelped but couldn't pull away.

"That's not fair! I had the second most kills. You can't just do this!" Darian burst out with laughter. He then thought of something and grinned evilly.

"Hey Link. Perhaps we can relent and buy dinner… BUT." He walked toward Link and whispered something in his ear. Drimani also got wind of this and could not help but laugh at Darian's brilliant plan. The two Princesses would be in a lose-lose situation regardless.

Zelda became suspicious. "But what Darian?" Said Night-Dweller and Link turned and faced them with mischievous smiles.

"We'll tell you when we get back. I have a feeling Zant isn't too happy with us right now."

True to his word, Zant had appeared in the middle of the palace grounds, looking at the destruction of his creations. He started stamping around again and letting out incoherent screams and curses. The five Heroes backed away toward the portal slowly. Zant noticed them and finally gained his composure.

"I will destroy you for this! Mark my words!" he sputtered angrily.

"I'm sure you will," Midna responded coldly.

"We've stopped you before and we will do it again," Link added before walking through the portal, his four friends following him.

Back in the Light Realm, Link withdrew the golden beam from the stone to prevent Zant from following them. Once they stepped off the portal, Darian turned around. "So Princesses. You wanted to know the deal, right?" Zelda and Midna nodded, realizing they were not going to win this battle regardless.

"Well… We will take you both out to dinner and pay…" Darian started.

"But you have to come with the three of us and drink afterwards. And not just sipping. To get drunk," Link finished.

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><p>Uh-oh! The Princesses? Drunk? Would they take the offer anyways? How does Caedin react to Zant's failure? Wait till next time!<p> 


	8. Reunions, Drinks, and Pranks

I enjoyed writing this chapter. Consider this the interlude and your early Easter present! The next chapter will hopefully be up soon. Enjoy!

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><p>Chapter 8: Reunions, Drinks, and Pranks<p>

"Princess! You're back!"

"Of course Captain. I told you I would come back safely, didn't I?"

The group was back in Zelda's study. Captain Medeus was filling out paperwork for the traveling Princess when they came in. Now he was staring in alarm at the entourage she brought in. Link and Darian followed her in, Midna and Drimani tailing them closely. Quickly regaining his composure, he addressed the two that were standing beside Zelda.

"Hero. Sir Darian. Welcome back. I trust no harm befell the Princess during your time away?"

"None at all, I must say, Captain," Darian bowed slightly.

"You had nothing to worry about," Link added. "The Princess is a very skilled fighter."

"Why thank you Link!" Zelda smiled. "Captain, you may go. Take tomorrow off as you did a fine job while I was away I'm sure," she finished pleasantly.

"Right away Princess!" With that, Medeus left the room.

Zelda took the now vacated spot and looked up at the four other adventurers. "What are you all waiting for? Get some chairs and sit down!"

"You heard her wolfy! Get me one too while you're at it!" Midna said dryly. Link stuck his tongue out before grabbing two chairs. Darian and Drimani each took one. After making themselves comfortable, Zelda looked at Midna and Drimani.

"Are you two okay?" she asked, concern showing on her face. "When we first found you, you looked like Zant was just finished torturing you. I know Link and I gave you both some energy to fight with us, but that does not prevent me from asking."

"I cannot speak for Princess Midna here, but I for one am okay," Drimani answered. "Thank you for your concern though Princess, I'm flattered you would ask." Zelda rolled her eyes at being called by her title.

"Okay from now on, all of you are calling me Zelda. Whether in public or in private. No more of this 'Princess' stuff." When Link, Midna, Darian, and Drimani all nodded, she continued. "Now that we cleared that issue, what did happen to you two?" Midna spoke up.

"I was discussing future projects with my fellow Council. You see, the Twilight Realm was still in a state of repair from Zant's previous attack. Then we heard screaming and crashes coming from outside the palace. I told my Senior Councilman, Veran, to protect the other members of the council and to evacuate immediately. That was when Zant came…" Her eyes started to tear. "I'll never forget that moment. I thought we killed him before, but there he stood, as if nothing happened to him. Veran was the only one able to escape. The rest of the council members were murdered right in front of me. I was in so much shock that I could not even defend myself. Zant spoke about how he served a new master and that he was going to take over all of the realms. A moment later, he hit me with a spell and I woke up in the dungeons." At the mention of Zant's master, Link, Zelda, and Darian gave each other dark looks. Midna looked confused.

"What?" she asked.

"We'll explain after you finish," Zelda answered.

Midna continued. "Anyways… I could not escape, as my shackles prevented me from using magic. Zant had not turned me into an imp this time, stating 'it is not worth changing you again'. He continuously tortured me for his own amusement, and I eventually grew weak. A couple days later, guards came and threw Drimani into the cell with me.

"Honestly, I was beginning to lose hope. My body became weak, and I could only pray for a miracle. And then you three showed up…" she began crying, letting the tears fall. Link got up and knelt beside her, putting his arm around her shoulder and holding her close to him. Zelda waited patiently, respecting the time Midna needed to gather her thoughts together.

"And then you three showed up. I never felt so much hope. Ever. I thought I would die in that cell." she finished. Link dried her tears and kissed her softly.

"I would never leave you there. I vowed to myself that I would find you, and I was not going to break that promise." Midna smiled through her tears and hugged him tightly. Once they broke away, Zelda addressed Drimani.

"How did you get into the Twilight Realm? And what happened before you were captured?"

Drimani thought for a moment. "Well… I ran through a portal our brother Ionin created," he started, gesturing towards Darian. He noticed Darian hanging his head down and looking away. "I woke up some time later in the Twilight Realm, away from all civilization, away from my brothers. I started in a certain direction, hopeful I would find someplace to stay until I could go back to the Night Realm and perhaps get help like I had promised Ionin.

"I eventually saw a palace floating above a large city. I traveled there, hoping to ask the ruler for some help. I managed to get to the plateau where we fought all those Beasts when I heard cackling behind me. I turn around and realized it was Zant. I didn't even have time to defend myself or launch an attack because he knocked me out. I woke up in the cell with Midna, and much like her, I was tortured, all part of Zant's fun. I was not sure myself if I ever would be able to leave the cell either, and thought I was stuck there, failing my brothers. But you three came along and helped us escape. For that I am truly grateful." He looked at Darian. "What happened to you?"

Darian looked up. "After you left… Zant attacked us. We tried to fight back but he overpowered us. Ionin told me to leave, find you, and find help. I could not even say anything as Zant struck me with a spell that blasted me right into the portal, leaving Ionin alone with him. I woke up here in the Light Realm and found Link battling some monsters.

"Zant decided to pay us a visit and tried to take the Fused Shadow that Link was trying to recover at the time. We managed to duel him and win the Fused Shadow. Actually that thing helped us get in and find you two."

Midna stared incredulously at Darian, and then at Link who pulled out the ancient artifact. "How…? It was destroyed when I fought Ganondorf!"

"We thought so too," Link spoke. "But the light spirit Ordona told me to recover it and bring it to Zelda. I was on my way when I ran into Zant, and he was going to escape with it had Darian not interfered. We ended up repairing it with the power of our Triforces." Right on cue, the Triforce on his hand lit up, along with Zelda's and Darian's. Noticing the Triforce on Darian's hand, Midna was shocked. She had never seen that piece before.

"What piece is that?" she questioned.

"Oh! I take it you've never seen this before? It is the Triforce of Mediation." Darian went on to explain its history, along with everything that had happened recently, including Caedin's escape and what he was about to do. Drimani looked appalled.

"The end of the world? But… How… Never mind that. He is in the Night Realm right now! We have to go! If Ionin is still there we need to rescue him!" He grew angry when Darian shook his head sadly. "What do you mean no? I'm not going to sit here while Ionin goes up against that guy!"

"Drimani… Ionin is gone." Darian said miserably. "Zant defeated and imprisoned him after the battle, but Caedin came and murdered him. I was told he put up a great fight. Drimani I… I'm sorry."

Drimani looked at his older brother for some sign that this was a cruel joke or a lie, but he noticed his emerald and midnight blue eyes were full of sadness and truth. "Ionin…" He clenched his fists as angry tears started forming. "I'll kill that bastard…" Darian went over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We all have reason to hate him. Caedin took our brother away from us, made Zant usurp Midna's kingdom and attack Link, and through Zant threatened Zelda and the Light Realm. We all have our reasons for killing him, but Drimani, you and I need to be strong. Ionin sacrificed his life for us, and we need to defend his honor now. He would have wanted us to move on." Darian finished, giving his younger brother a sad smile but his eyes were shining intensely. Drimani looked up and had a hard look of determination.

"You're right. I will train harder than ever before. I wish to do Ionin proud."

"And you will." Zelda smiled at him. "You are already an adept fighter, and from what Darian said, you are a brilliant commander in the army, even though you are only eighteen. Ionin was already proud of you, and I have no doubt he will be after you lead the army of this realm to victory."

Drimani looked at her, shocked. "Me? Lead your army? Zelda, that's-"

"The best option for our success." Zelda finished. "I would not want it any other way either. We shall take a few months and train the Hyrulian army, which will be made up of humans, Gorons, and Zoras. After enough planning, we will attack Zant in the Twilight Realm and recover the kingdom for Midna. I trust you will help us with this task."

"Wow! That's… I am honored to command your army, Zelda. I will not fail you!"

Darian laughed. "You should be proud, little brother! You will do us all proud." He became serious again and looked at Zelda. "Once we recover the Twilight, are we going to march on to the Night Realm and attack Caedin's forces there?" Midna spoke up.

"If that is your plan, I will bring as many soldiers as I possibly can to aid you. I overheard Zant did not turn many of my people into Shadow Beasts this time around, but merely cloned the few that he did using his new magic many times over." Link sighed in relief.

"Well that's good that we didn't kill many of your people… Only clones." Midna smiled at him.

"Yes, wolf-boy, we lucked out this time."

Zelda stood up. "Well, now that we have figured all of this out, I will make a speech the day after tomorrow. We shall use tomorrow to relax and recover our energy." She walked to the door, motioning for the other four to follow. "I believe the gentlemen were taking us to dinner tonight?" she asked, a coy smile on her face. Link and Darian mock-bowed.

"As you wish, Princess," they said.

Drimani laughed. "At least I won't have to pay for dinner." Zelda gave him an evil grin.

"I have a friend who you might like to meet Drimani. She shares a bit of your strategies in war and I believe you will get along with her just fine. However, you will also pay for her dinner, just like the Hero and your brother."

He sighed. "Very well. But it'll be worth it if you say we'll get along."

"So this is a triple date then?" Link asked.

"What? Don't tell me you mind, my wolf!" Midna laughed.

"Oh not at all, my imp!" he teased, poking her in the side.

Two hours later, six people were sitting in a nice restaurant in Castle Town, just outside of the fountain area. Link, Darian, and Drimani were on one side of the booth, while their respective ladies sat in front of them. It turned out the woman who Zelda was talking about was none other than Ashei, the young knight who helped Link with his previous travels regarding Snowpeak.

She and Drimani were currently getting along quite well, both sharing their common interest in military combat and strategies among other things. They just got to the subject of their pasts.

"The Night Realm?" Ashei was asking. "I've never even heard of such a place, yeah."

"It is beautiful in its own right," Drimani responded. "The moon is bright, and all is peaceful there. Well, usually," he added. He had finished explaining the whole situation to her, the others pitching in where appropriate. "I would like to take you there sometime when there isn't war or strife happening."

"I would like that, yeah." Ashei gave a rare smile, prompting subtle thumbs up from Link and Darian. Zelda and Midna giggled quietly. Ashei turned to the rest of them. "Princess, I enjoyed dinner tonight. Send me notice when you would like me to report for training, yeah."

"Will do," Zelda smiled. Ashei stood up, getting ready to pull out red and gold rupees, when Drimani stopped her.

"No no, Ashei, I will cover this, don't worry."

"Thank you Drimani. Goodnight. Take care, yeah."

Once Ashei left, Darian smiled. "I didn't know you were such a gentleman. Great job!"

"Watch it Dari," Drimani warned. Link burst into laughter.

"Dari? That's your nickname?" he said, catching his breath. Darian scowled.

"Hey! You have plenty of nicknames too, _wolf-boy_."

"Only Midna can call me that!" Link complained.

"Okay, wolfy." Zelda laughed. Link decided to play along.

"Well alright then… Zellie." Said Princess aimed a playful kick under the table, but caught Darian instead.

"Ouch! What was that for? I didn't do anything!"

"Sorry Dari! I didn't mean to!"

Midna sniggered. "You and your pet names."

"Of course, because you have none, my little imp," Link retorted. She tried to kick him, but he caught her foot and started tickling her mercilessly.

"Liiiiiiink! Stop it!" Midna squealed between fits of laughter.

"Make me!" he answered. He threw a purple rupee on the table and took off running. Darian and Drimani each added another purple rupee, covering the dinner, and ran after him. The two princesses laughed and chased after them.

Link arrived sometime later to Telma's Bar. She greeted him and asked what he needed.

"Nothing yet Telma. I'm waiting on a few friends." Right on cue, Darian and Drimani burst in.

"Link! I knew we'd find you here!" Darian exclaimed. Link motioned quietly and the two brothers sat down with him at one corner of the bar. Sometime later, the Princesses came in, out of breath, and staggered to Telma.

"Princess!" she said, surprised. "What can I do for you?"

"Where are they?" she panted.

"Oh! You mean Link and his friends? They are over there!" She pointed to them, who waved back in response, mischievous smiles on their faces.

"When I get my hands on you, wolf-boy…" Midna threatened. The two ladies sat down next to their men. Telma walked over.

"Alright boys, the game is up. What is going on?" At this, all three laughed.

"We promised to take them out to dinner if they drank with us tonight," Darian snorted. Telma looked on in amusement and noticed Drimani.

"Who is this handsome man?"

"Don't get any ideas Telma," Link joked. "That is Darian's little brother, Drimani."

"Pleasure to meet you!" he said cheerfully.

"Likewise, honey. So what can I get for you all?"

Darian thought for a minute. "Link, you know what drinks they have. And we DID promise them dinner if they drank with us. We did our part. What would be good for them?" He laughed when Link grinned evilly.

"Hehe. I think Mayor Bo's special will do." Zelda and Midna gulped.

"Listen here wolfy. If we get drunk out of our minds…" Midna warned.

"Don't worry. We won't let you get too far," Link assured.

Five drinks were brought out to them. Each of them grabbed the handle on their tankard, full to the brim with Mayor Bo's special, which, unknown to all but Link, was extremely powerful.

"Here's to making new friends, and saving the world!" Link spoke, raising his drink. The others returned the motion, and then all of them took a gulp. The two ladies cringed, while the two brothers looked at Link, who was laughing.

"Aieee! What is this stuff?" Midna hollered.

"Mayor Bo's special," Link answered with another laugh. "I should have warned you all. This is particularly strong…" he trailed off, mock guilt on his face.

"Oops," Darian said before roaring with laughter. Drimani joined him before speaking up.

"This is like some of the stuff we have back home. Boy does it hit the spot!"

"You three are going to be the end of me," Zelda muttered. She was already starting to feel the effects.

"Oh relax Zellie! It's all in good fun!" Darian put an arm around her and kissed her cheek. Link chuckled and looked at Midna, who was scowling at him.

"How are you holding up Midna?"

"Link, I am going to kill you," she said dangerously before taking another gulp.

Two more drinks later and some funny truth or dares, some of which Zelda admitted her love for Darian and Link performed a drunken waltz with Midna (knocking over a few tables in the process), the five headed back to the castle. They were supporting each other, although Link, Darian and Drimani had to step in and help the two ladies as they stumbled up the stairs to their rooms. After making sure the two of them were safely asleep in their beds, they made their way to their rooms. This time, Drimani had a prank of his own.

"Hey guys, hold up." Link and Darian turned around and looked at him questioningly. "What if we put some flour on their faces and steal something valuable to them?"

Link roared with laughter. Indeed, pranking Midna this way was sure to get her angry. Besides this was the perfect revenge for when she broke the Mirror. He quickly agreed to this plan. Darian looked at his brother.

"Drimani, I didn't think you would be so evil!"

"It's brilliant though!"

"You have a point. Let's meet up in six hours. The two Princesses should still be sound asleep, thanks to the alcohol." The three boys agreed to the plan and walked back to their rooms and fell asleep.

Precisely six hours later, Drimani tiptoed to his brother's room and tapped the door four times before doing the same to Link's door. He waited for two minutes before they emerged, flour in each of their hands.

"So what are we stealing?" Link whispered as they made their way to Zelda's room. They were going to target the Light Princess first.

"Hmm…" Darian thought. "Well I think I will steal her tiara and a picture of her when she was a little kid. Drimani can hold onto the tiara."

"Then I will steal Midna's cloak. She never goes anywhere without it." Link responded.

"They are going to kill us," Darian sniggered. "But this will be so worth it."

"Agreed," Link and Drimani nodded their heads.

The plan was simple. Link would stand guard outside the door while Darian and Drimani did the dirty work. Two minutes later, they emerged, the deed complete. Drimani was holding Zelda's tiara, which was expensive no doubt, while Darian was holding a picture of her when she was still an infant, held by her mother. The three of them sniggered.

"I trust everything was done properly?" Link asked.

"Yes. The mission was a complete success, she did not even stir." Darian responded with a wink.

"She is REALLY going to kill us," Drimani murmured.

"We already knew that," Darian pointed out.

"No, really." Drimani looked slightly ashamed. Link looked at him suspiciously.

"Drimani, is there something you wish to tell us?"

"Well…" Link and Darian had to clamp a hand to their mouths to keep from roaring with laughter. Drimani was holding a pair of Zelda's panties. She was going to kill them indeed.

"We are so dead…" Darian trailed off as they approached Midna's room. This time, he and Drimani would stand guard while Link performed the deed. He walked out of the room a minute later, Midna's cloak and a pair of her own underwear that he stole from her bag. Darian and Drimani couldn't hold it in; they burst into laughter.

They stuffed the ladies' belongings into Link's bag, which was magically enhanced to keep objects of any size. Link led the way out into Castle Town, which by now was busy with people going about their everyday business. He turned around and looked at the two brothers.

"What say the three of us pull out another prank on these poor people?" He took out the shadow crystal. Drimani looked confused.

"What is that?" he asked.

"Are we going to play 'Have You Seen my Pet'?"

"Something like that," Link smiled. He went into the east part of Castle Town and was once again mauled by the fangirls. Escaping their clutches, he ran down the street again, screaming at the top of his lungs and disappeared in an alley.

Drimani was confused. "What is he doing?"

"Let's just say we've lost our pet wolf and we're trying to get him back," Darian answered. Sure enough a great wolf emerged from the alley, chasing people this way and that. Drimani fell over laughing while Darian tried to keep a straight face. He too was sniggering and had to lean against a wall for support. When they deemed it was time, they started running after Link.

"Brutus! BRUTUS where are you?" Darian called. "Damned wolf, I told him to stick by me and he instead escapes! Brutus!" Link came trotting back to them, barking a few times.

"Brutus, how many times do I have to tell you to stop running off? You're scaring all these poor townspeople!" Darian scolded playfully. Link whined in response and hung his head. "Oh I can't stay mad at you," Darian continued. "Come here." He scratched the great wolf behind his ear, earning a lick. Some townspeople gathered around.

"That beast is yours?" one of them said timidly.

"Yes he is ours," Drimani responded. "And he's not a beast. He never really attacked you, he just wanted to play. We're sorry if he scared you." Gradually the townspeople got a little closer and Link allowed them to pet him, although cautiously, while returning a few licks. Satisfied, the townspeople went about their business normally.

"That was fun," Darian grinned. Drimani agreed while Link barked once. "I think it's time for you to-" he was interrupted by screaming.

"LINK!" "DARIAN!" "DRIMANI!"

"Uh oh…" Drimani started. "It seems the princesses woke up." Link barked once and motioned for the two brothers to follow him. They ran to the south side of Castle Town to a small house that had roughly fifteen cats in the front yard. As soon as they rounded the corner, they saw the Princesses running towards the east side, cloaks on and murder in their eyes. They looked this way and that until they realized they could just ask the townspeople. Link, Darian, and Drimani heard the conversation.

"Have you seen three men?" Zelda gave accurate descriptions of the three.

"Umm, we only saw two, and they headed that way. There was a great wolf with them-"

"Thank you, that's all we needed to hear," Midna cut in.

By now, Link had reverted back to his true form. "Guys we need to move before they catch us. In here." He pointed to the house. They rushed in and closed the door behind them.

"Link, we essentially trapped ourselves in here. Where do we go now if Zelda and Midna find us?" Drimani questioned.

"Oh don't worry about that," Link answered with a laugh. "The owner of this place left on an adventure of his own to find himself. We can use this as a way to escape," he finished, opening a treasure chest. Darian looked at him skeptically.

"In that? Link I hardly think- OH!" Link had just jumped in. "I stand corrected!" He and Drimani jumped in just as loud knocking was heard.

They found themselves behind Link in a passageway that was effectively a waterslide. He turned to them and said "Look I don't know about you, but we left that treasure chest open. We need to move, now." Just then, more shouting came from above them.

"Right, let's go!" Darian yelled before throwing himself on the slide, Drimani and Link close behind. "YEEEAAAAAHHHH!" They landed in a deserted, underground chamber. Darian stood up and laughed. "Now this is what I call fun!" Link led the way through many hallways and ruined staircases, before finally coming out to a truly spectacular sight. They were on one of the many rooftops of the castle, and the view of Castle Town and Hyrule field beyond was truly amazing.

"Wow," Darian and Drimani said at the same time.

"I came here when I started my first adventure with Midna as a wolf," Link explained.

"Must have been one hell of an adventure then," Drimani murmured. They began walking across the rooftops and jumping gaps. Just as they were about to enter a tower, Link's and Darian's Triforces glowed. The voice in their thoughts was angry.

"_I hope you boys wrote your last wills because you are all dead."_

"_We shall see Zelda, we shall see,"_ Darian responded through the connection.

"_Where are you, anyways?"_

"_Let's just say I'm feeling a bit… Nostalgic," _Link answered before they broke their connection. The boys saw two figures climb out of the tower they had left not too long ago.

"LINK! YOU ARE SO DEAD!" Midna screamed. Link merely laughed as he jumped into the tower, Darian and Drimani following him. They ended up in a vacated room with a bed, a fireplace, and a dresser. Link took a look around and sat on the bed.

"This brings back so many memories," he murmured.

"You shall have to tell us about it!" Drimani smiled. Darian nodded before he spoke.

"Well it looks like the ladies know we're here. Why don't I camouflage ourselves and we can play with their minds a bit?" Link and Drimani chuckled and agreed. Darian muttered the spell and once again, they were invisible. Link hid under the bed, Drimani went behind the dresser, and Darian flew to the upper corner of the room, propping himself between the ceiling and the two walls. Just then the door shot open, revealing two VERY angry Princesses. They stormed into the room.

"WHERE ARE YOU?" Zelda hollered. "I SWEAR WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU-" Darian's response came through the Triforce.

"_You're getting warmer…"_

"LINK YOU WILL WISH YOU WERE DEAD WHEN I'M THROUGH WITH YOU!" Midna screeched. Zelda and Midna searched all parts of the room. However, Link had gotten up from underneath the bed and had moved accordingly to avoid the ladies' touch. Drimani and Darian were silently doing the same. Link decided to taunt Zelda some more.

"_Are you sure you looked everywhere? Because you haven't found any of us."_ By now they had positioned themselves by the door, laughing silently at the two women who were searching furiously. _"I'll give you both a hint." _They had sneaked through the door. _"Where is the one place you haven't looked?"_ They slammed the door shut and took off, laughing and running as fast as their legs would take them. It turns out the tower was directly in association with the rest of the bedrooms, so all they needed to do was to reach one of their rooms.

They had just passed the door to Link's room when Zelda teleported in front of them. Darian cursed quietly. She gave them a death glare. "You three are so dead." she spoke in a low deadly voice.

Link turned around and cursed when he saw Midna at the bottom of the stairs. "There is no escape for any of you." she said dangerously.

Link noticed they were right in front of his room. "You'll never take me alive, coppers!" he yelled before taking the bag and throwing the door to his room open. Darian and Drimani dove through and Link locked it. Grabbing a pillow in each hand, they waited. Suddenly, Zelda's voice came through the Triforce again.

"_There is no escape. Give up now and I may spare you."_

"_Come on Zelda. We are not giving up," _Darian thought. _"Get some pillows. We shall be waiting for you."_ He and his two fellow pranksters waited with abated breath.

Suddenly the door was kicked open. In strode the two Princesses, each holding pillows.

Link jumped first. "Think fast!" They were then locked in a massive pillow fight, guys against girls. Zelda and Midna both were extremely angry at first, but then realized the boys were only trying to have fun, so they started laughing too and the fight turned playful. Feathers flew this way and that while they beat each other mercilessly, taunting and yelling.

Some time later, the five people were laying down, catching their breath. Feathers littered the room from ruined pillows. They were laughing now.

"That was some chase! I didn't think you both would run after us like that!" Link exclaimed.

"You gave us a reason to wolf-boy!" Midna countered.

"I loved the look on your faces up in that tower! You were trying so hard to find us and failed miserably!" Darian laughed.

"You and your darn camouflage!" Zelda complained.

Drimani got up and retrieved Link's bag. "Zelda and Midna, I believe these are yours." The tiara was handled with great care as it was placed in Zelda's small bag. Link gave back Midna's cloak and underwear. She grabbed him by the arm.

"Do you like it?" she teased, holding them up to his eye level. Link turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Uhh… Yes? Don't kill me?" Midna laughed and kissed him.

Drimani handed back Zelda's panties. "Zelda I was the one who took these from you." She promptly smacked him playfully.

"I don't think your brother is very happy with you right now." Said Night Dweller laughed.

"Nah, it was part of the prank." He slowly pulled out the picture of Zelda as an infant. "Zelda… Would you mind if I kept this?" he asked with a genuine smile.

Zelda walked over and gently kissed him. "Of course you may." She turned to the other three. "After we clean ourselves up, we need to meet and discuss the plan for tomorrow. We have a very busy day."

The others nodded an affirmative and left for their rooms.

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed! R&amp;R! Please? You know you want to! :)<p> 


	9. Speeches, Plans, and Visits

Chapter 9: Speeches, Plans, and Visits

"So let's go over the plan one more time."

Zelda sat at the end of the long table where the Council meetings usually take place. Link and Darian sat on either side, while Midna and Drimani sat next to them. They had just spent the last three hours planning out the next few days. It would be a difficult few days, and filled with uncertainly.

"I would like you four to be at my side while I deliver the speech to the denizens of Hyrule, and then we shall go our separate ways for a time," Zelda was saying. "Link. You and Midna will go back to Ordon. I'm sure you wish to see your friends there. I would also like you to talk to Rusl especially and see if he would like to become a captain and be in charge of a legion of the Hyrulian army. Ashei and Captain Medeus will be the other two captains. All will be under General Drimani's command." Drimani flushed slightly at this statement. _Wow. Zelda already trusts me enough to lead her army. I hope I do not fail her._

"Thank you again Zelda. For trusting me enough to lead your army. I shall not fail you." Zelda smiled gently before once again addressing Link.

"Once you bring Rusl back, as I have no doubt he will want to help, you and Midna will accompany Darian and myself as we visit the Gorons and Zoras. Since they know you better, having you there may give them more incentive to join us."

"As you wish Zelda. I'd like to see how they are doing anyways." Link responded with a smile.

Midna smirked. "Yes, I'm sure being called 'Brother' by the Gorons and spending time in the fish-smelling place you call Zoras' Domain is just your idea of a visit."

"Actually it is!" Link laughed. "I'm curious to see how Prince Ralis and the Goron Patriarch are doing. And you're also coming with me. No, not in my shadow. They have to know for whom they are fighting." This shut Midna up immediately. Darian spoke up.

"I'm very curious to explore more of Hyrule and what it has to offer. I have not seen much. Link, you must tell me the history you have with these people when we visit."

Said Hero shrugged. "It was all part of our adventure just a few months ago." he responded, placing a hand on Midna's shoulder. Zelda cut in.

"Listen we can talk more during our journey, as I still have to finalize the plans." When all attention was back on her, she continued, this time turning to Drimani. "Thank you. Once Rusl returns to the castle, you will start formulating battle plans. Rusl, Ashei, and Medeus will help you. When the troops arrive, the four of you will train them as best as you can within a period of five months. That should be enough time before we attack Zant's forces. Are we all in agreement?" Her four companions nodded their heads. "Then let us sleep. We have a lot to do in the future. May the Goddesses be with us."

An hour later, Midna found herself at Link's door. She could not sleep, a lot of thoughts weighing on her mind. _I hope he is not asleep. I would like to at least get some alone time with him before we start on this new adventure._ She knocked on the door, and was relieved when she heard footsteps on the other side. The door was opened to reveal two ocean blue eyes staring back at her.

"Umm… Hi," Midna started, rather lamely. _Get it together Midna. It's just wolf-boy!_

"Hey," Link responded. He smiled slightly and allowed her in. She looked around the room and noticed a light on. She turned as he spoke again. "Couldn't sleep, I take it?"

"No. I guess you couldn't either?" He shook his head.

"I've been thinking a lot about what has been happening these past few days. It feels like the battle with Ganondorf was months ago."

Midna took in his appearance and was surprised that he now stood her height. Not even two weeks ago, she was roughly five inches taller. He was also much more sturdy, putting on more muscle and had a small stubble of facial hair. _Oh Gods, why is he so damn good-looking?_ She decided to play it off. "When did you become so tall wolfy? If I remember correctly, I stood about a head taller than you when I was freed from my curse."

Link chuckled. "You know Midna? You're right! I have no idea how I grew up so quickly!" He noticed his Triforce glowing slightly, as if it was trying to make its presence known. "I guess it's maybe because of this." Midna looked at the Triforce, noting its changed appearance.

"Why does it look like that?" she asked.

"Darian once told me. It is because he, Zelda, and I completely trust each other. I now have the image of their Triforces on my hand, although faint, while they have an image of mine. We became much more powerful this way. When we were fighting those Shadow Beasts back on the staircase to the dungeons, something happened between Darian's Triforce and mine."

"Yeah, you guys were moving around so quickly and efficiently. As if you had trained together for years."

"I think the Triforces helped us. Not only did they provide us an inhuman amount of energy and speed, but they reacted to each other in such a way that allowed us to know how the other fought and helped us adapt to each other's style."

"You really have grown on me, my wolf." Midna said softly. "I missed you."

"I missed you too Midna. I cannot even tell you the pain I felt when I saw you disappear through the Mirror and shattering it. I thought I lost you forever. Why did you do it…?"

"Link…" she hesitated. Then she thought she should be as honest as possible with him. "I thought that by shattering the Mirror, I would prevent Zant or another evil creature from coming to the Light Realm and attacking again. But I shattered my own heart Link." She was tearing up at this point, and hugged him tightly. "I thought I was lost. I realized I loved you, and yet I could not say it and I thought I never was going to be able to." She then started sobbing. "When Zant attacked I thought I was going to die alone in that cell. My biggest regret during that time was not telling you how I truly felt. Link I'm so sorry!"

Link held her close to him and let her cry. He never felt this way about anyone else. He realized what he had felt towards Ilia did not even come close to the love he felt for the beautiful woman he was now holding. "Midna, I love you too. I always have. Shhh, it's okay. I promised I would find you. Now that I have, I have no intent of letting you go." He kissed the top of her head and gently stroked her face with his fingers. Silent tears were now falling down her face.

"Promise? Please… Never leave me." she breathed.

"Promise," Link said truthfully. He was never letting her go again. He gently brought her face closer and leaned in to give her a soft kiss. Midna returned the gesture and they were lip-locked for what they felt was an eternity. Neither of them cared about anything or anyone else except for the one they were kissing. Now that their feelings were out in the open, they knew they could be more honest and more upfront with each other.

They finally broke off the kiss and Midna was much more cheerful. She smiled at Link, who grinned.

"You look beautiful when you smile."

"Thanks," she answered shyly, a small blush creeping on her face. "Link…" Should she ask? "May I stay here with you tonight?" She spoke too soon, and thought he would mind. Link, however, had no such thought, and immediately patted the bed beside him. She snuck under the covers and curled up into him, breathing in his scent of forest and pines. Within minutes they were both peacefully asleep.

* * *

><p>Drimani, meanwhile, could not sleep either. He wanted to talk to Darian, and figure everything out. With Ionin being murdered and Zelda placing him in charge of her army, he felt overwhelmed. He thus crept out of the room and to Darian's room. He knocked on the door, and Darian immediately opened it, giving him a small smile and allowing him in.<p>

"Darian… I wanted to talk to you." Drimani started.

"I knew you would. Sit down," Darian responded kindly. His brother took a seat on the bed while he sat down next to him. "Talk to me Dri. What's bothering you?"

"It's about everything that happened recently. Us being attacked, Ionin murdered, and now the war to save the world. Honestly, I feel like a lot is being placed on my shoulders. I've never led an army of the Light Realm before, much less led an army to save the world." He looked at Darian. "How do you deal with it all? I wish I had your determination and your positive attitude in times like these."

Darian sat in thought. "Drimani, I cannot tell you exactly why I feel so positive. I guess I'm just trying to be strong for our people, but also reserve hope that everything will work out. That and sometimes I have fun doing it all. As for you, Zelda trusts you to lead her army. She specifically told me she needs someone with a brilliant mind, brilliant strategies, and never lose faith in the face of fire. Drimani, that someone is you. I wholeheartedly believe in you, as do Zelda, Link, and Midna. We all know you will succeed. Just stay true to who you are, and nothing can stop you. As for Ionin…" Darian stopped for a moment to collect his thoughts. "He fought Caedin and Zant valiantly, just like we would expect him to. Yes, there is not a single moment that I do not think of him and wish he were here with us. I also know he would have wanted us to carry on with our lives. So while we can never forget Ionin, we must move on. We can and will fight in his honor, and we will do him proud."

Drimani sat in silence for a while. Suddenly he reached over and hugged his older brother. "Thanks Dari. For still believing in me. For everything you just told me. I feel like a huge weight has just been lifted from my shoulders. I made a vow as well."

"And what vow is that?"

"That I would believe in you guys just like you believe in me. Please Darian. You and the others must succeed. Defeat Caedin and Zant. For our people, for the Twili, and for the Hylians. Come out of there alive. Losing Ionin was bad enough. Losing you… I can't even imagine the thought of being the last of our family."

Darian smiled warmly. "I'm not going anywhere. We will kill that bastard and bring the world to peace once again." He and Drimani stood up. Drimani walked to the door before turning back.

"Thanks again. For everything. Goodnight." He left the room and closed the door quietly.

"Goodnight Dri," Darian whispered. He fell asleep within the hour.

* * *

><p>At roughly ten in the morning, Zelda found herself at the balcony, getting ready to address the people. She alone had slept without cease, but was now nervous at what to say. Sure, having Link, Midna, Darian, and Drimani there with her eased her tension slightly, but she did not know what to say regarding the Twili or the Night Dwellers. Her situation was precarious indeed, and she needed to approach it with extra care.<p>

With a deep breath, she stepped forward and was greeted with applause from her people. She nervously waved her hand before turning around. Link gave her a warm smile and a thumbs up, while Darian held up the picture she had given him just the night before. He nodded his head and gave her a reassuring smile. Feeling at ease, she began.

"People of Hyrule, I have come to you today not only as a Princess, but as your fellow citizen. A great evil once again walks among us, and I fear that evil will want to destroy us all." The people looked around and whispered in alarm. Zelda cleared her throat and continued. "Yes, this is all true, and I will need as much help as possible to defend our homeland as well as our friends in the Twilight and Night Realms, who have also been targeted." She went on to explain the situation, taking extra care to word things carefully. After she finished, one person called out.

"Will the Hero be participating in the fight?"

"Oh! I almost forgot! I have yet to introduce the people standing behind me." Link nodded his head, urging Zelda on. It was time he was recognized, especially if it helps bolster Zelda's popularity with the people. "To answer your question, yes the Hero will fight. In fact, he is standing right behind me." At this, the crowd started applauding. Taking one step further, Zelda spoke up. "Everyone, this is Link of Ordon, the Hero of Light and Twilight!"

The crowd cheered as Link stood beside the Princess. He did not know what to say or if he should say anything at all. He decided to speak his mind. "Thank you all. I must say I am proud to be up here today… The Princess is right. There is an enemy who threatens us all. I must ask for your help now to join us in fighting. I am but just one person, and I alone cannot overcome an entire army." At this the crowd laughed. "Please, help us. We would forever be grateful." The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as Link stepped back and allowed Zelda to take the front.

"Thank you all for your cooperation. I have a few more people to introduce. This is Princess Midna of the Twilight Realm." Midna stepped up and waved while the people clapped politely. "And these two are Princes Darian and Drimani from the Night Realm." As the two brothers stepped forward, the people continued their applause. "Darian has offered to fight the source of the evil while I have named Drimani the general of our army. Though he is young, Drimani is a war hero back in his Realm and a brilliant strategist. I have no doubt he will lead the army to greatness." The crowd cheered, showing their support. "Here is what I plan to do." Zelda outlined her plans to the people, and once she finished her speech, the crowd openly cheered and displayed their loyalty to the five that were on the balcony.

"I think that went pretty well," Zelda said. She and the others were eating a delicious lunch made by her finest chefs.

"I agree," Link nodded. "Your popularity with the people is quite high and I'm pleasantly surprised at just how unquestioning they are, considering the incident with Ganondorf happened not too long ago."

"I for one am glad they have accepted us on the whole," Darian added, a small smile playing on his lips. "I think this may do wonders for our people after this ordeal is over. I'd like to unite all of our people together. All this separation has to end at some point."

"Hmm, I wouldn't object to any of that," Zelda said thoughtfully. "But Darian we are getting a bit ahead of ourselves. The war has not even started yet."

"Oh but the war is pretty much won!" Midna laughed. "Link and I have been through a whole adventure on our own and saved your sorry butt from Ganondorf! To us, Caedin is just another baddie that we have to cross off our list!"

"Oh of course! He's just a warm-up act compared to Ganondorf! No problem there!" Link chimed in. The others burst into laughter. Growing serious, he continued. "In all honesty this guy will be just about the hardest we've ever encountered. Even with us all teaming up against him, it will be hard-fought. We still need to find the Bearer of Power. I don't even know where to begin looking…" he trailed off.

"One step at a time, that's what I think," Drimani took over. "While you two find Rusl and Zelda and Darian find Captains Ashei and Medeus, I'll hold down the castle and look at the new recruits that have signed up. I have no doubt many have already volunteered."

"Then it's settled," Darian finished. "Let's get moving and gather our army. We have five months to prepare for battle. Not a moment can be wasted."

"Let's go wolfy. Ordon awaits," Midna stated.

"Right away." To Link, it felt good visiting Ordon, visiting his friends. He remembered his promises to Rusl and Ilia that he would introduce Midna and he inwardly grinned. She was always the shy type.

Fifteen minutes later, they were in Ordon Springs. As their feet touched the cool water, a light rose behind them and materialized into Ordona.

"_Hero, you have done well thus far. The decision to rescue the Night Prince and Twilight Princess was the correct one. You shall need their help more than you think to overcome the Dark One."_

"Ordona, I have done what you requested of me. The Fused Shadow brought me to them and allowed Zelda, Darian, and I to safely get them out of their predicament."

"_Yes, as I knew it would. The Bearer of Power is closer to you than you think. That person must first find it within themselves. You shall know it in due time. Twilight Princess… Never lose sight of who you are. Although you must be loyal to your people, you must also stay true to your heart."_ With that, Ordona vanished.

"I wonder what that was all about," Midna murmured. True, she is the Twilight Princess, but could she remain with Link as well? She pushed the thoughts away as Link led her out of the springs.

"Some people want to meet you Midna. I promised them I would introduce you." Said Princess scoffed.

"You really told them about me, wolf-boy? I ought to punish you by making you my slave for eternity."

"Oh come on. It's just the Ordon residents. Not like before. Besides, Rusl and Ilia were the ones who forced it out of me. Well… Rusl did. Ilia overheard the conversation and confronted me afterward." They were now in front of his house. "Heh, it has been a while since I came home. But is this really my home anymore? I've been traveling so much lately that I have not been truly living here."

"I know what you mean," Midna said with a smile. "It has been a while since we started our adventure, hasn't it?"

Link nodded as he climbed the ladder to the treehouse. Midna chose to fly up behind him, convinced no one was watching. Link was already making himself comfortable, dropping off his bag and stretching out on his couch. "Make yourself at home. I know it isn't as luxurious as your palace, but at least it's something."

"Link I love it. It may not be the palace, but I rather enjoy the simplistic design. It makes me relax. And it smells like… You." Both of them blushed little before Link spoke up.

"We'll go into the village in an hour. Go wash up, or take a nap. Whatever you feel will ease you most-" He was cut off as Midna snuggled into him. "I just want you right now." For an hour they stayed just like that, neither of them saying anything, just enjoying each others' company.

They eventually left the house after a time, a time they felt was too short, and decided to travel to Rusl's place first. They didn't get there.

"LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINK!"

"Oh not again…" he murmured. Midna giggled as the kids threw themselves onto him again. "Okay guys, relax. Yes, I'm home."

"Link, who is the girl?" "She's very pretty!"

"Woah! Seriously guys. Let me catch my breath. Everyone, this is Midna. Midna, meet the kids: Talo, Beth, Colin, and Malo."

"Hi Midna!" they all chorused.

"Hello everyone!" she responded warmly.

"Guys, if you'll excuse us, we have to visit Rusl now." The kids groaned and left, with the exception of Colin.

"Let me take you to him then," he spoke up.

"That would be lovely, thank you," Midna answered with a smile. Link looked at her and sniggered. "What?"

"It's just I've never heard you be so nice before!" She smacked him on the shoulder.

"Hey! I can be nice if I want to be!" she exclaimed, clearly affronted. Link merely shook his head and laughed, all the while following Colin back to the house.

"Dad! I'm home! And I brought someone with me!" he called out. Rusl immediately came to the door, followed by Uli.

"Link! You're back! How have you been old boy?" he pulled Link into a hug, Uli doing the same.

"How are you sweetie? My, you've gotten taller! Can I get anything for you or your friend there?"

"No, I'm fine thank you." Link said, waving off all offers. He knew Uli would not stop pestering him once he did take her up on any offer. "This is Midna by the way. Midna, these people are the ones who took care of me when I was orphaned, Rusl and Uli." Rusl and Uli smiled warmly and hugged her too, something she did not expect. She noticeably blushed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Rusl held up a hand. "Please, Midna. The pleasure is ours. So Link what brings you down here?"

"Actually, Rusl, we needed to talk to you for a bit in private, if you don't mind." Said man nodded and led the way to his room.

"Okay Link, Midna. You have my attention." After Link went on to explain the situation, Midna adding bits and pieces he left out, Rusl thought it over for a minute. "So you ran into a Night Dweller you say, and now we have to work with him and his people, as well as the Twili, to help save the world from a madman? And Zelda asked me to be a captain of the army?" Link and Midna nodded.

"It is understandable if you reject the offer. The task is difficult." Link pointed out.

"No, I would like to help. Are we leaving immediately?"

"We shall leave in the morning. We just got back ourselves and would like a night's rest here before traveling to Hyrule Castle."

"Very well, count me in," Rusl finished with a smile.

"Thank you Rusl. I apologize for dragging you into this mess," Midna said quietly.

"It's no trouble at all! You helped Link here with his adventure, and I'd be more than willing to help those who have helped him! I shall see you in the morning."

Link and Midna stepped out of the house, and walked over to Mayor Bo's. Link knew he would never hear the end of it if he broke his promise to Ilia. Not five seconds after he knocked, the Mayor himself opened the door.

"Link, m'boy!" he boomed. "Great to see you! I see you've brought a lovely lady friend! May I ask who she is?"

"Yes you may," Link responded with a smile. "Sir, this is Midna. She helped me a bit on my previous adventure, though you did not see much of her at the time. Midna, this is Mayor Bo."

"Pleasure to meet you Midna!" Bo said in his loud voice.

"The pleasure is all mine," Midna answered, clearly not too enthusiastic about meeting so many new people in such a short time. True, she has seen them all, but she was never one to be up and personal with this many people. She was just too shy. The sound of someone walking down the stairs jolted her out of her thoughts.

"Link?" It was Ilia.

"Hi Ilia," he answered with a small smile. "May we see you outside for a moment?" said female followed them outside. Link turned to face her. "Ilia, you said you wanted to meet her and I promised you I would bring her down here. This is Midna, the one I… The one I love." he finished, blushing slightly. Ilia looked at Midna and smiled warmly.

"I've heard a lot about you. And you are very beautiful. I can tell Link is very happy being with you."

"My wolf told you that? I may just have to teach him a thing or two about secrets."

"No no!" Ilia said quickly. "I only meant that I can see how much he cares for you through his eyes. He has never been this way around anyone else."

"Awwh. Maybe I will have to go easier on him now," Midna remarked, playfully poking him in the side. Aforementioned Hero was becoming more and more embarrassed.

"Argh. Maybe I should have broken my promise…" he murmured. Midna laughed while Ilia scowled.

"No you should not have!" Ilia retorted. Turning to Midna, she spoke again. "Midna, please take care of him. Again, I can tell he loves you very much. Don't let him get in too much trouble with whatever adventure you both are going on now."

"Don't worry. My wolf knows how to take care of himself. He's been through a lot." Midna said gently. "And for the record, although I tease him and perhaps insult him at times, I do love him very much. I don't plan on losing him."

"Good." Ilia smiled. "Link don't lose her either. She sounds like she is just perfect for you."

"Ilia don't you have to go back home?" he asked jokingly. Ilia huffed and started heading back home. He relented before she was too far away. "I promise. I won't let her go." She turned around and smiled before going inside. Link looked at Midna. "Hey, maybe we should head back too. We have to leave early in the morning and make sure Rusl gets to Castle town safely."

They walked back to his house, where they had a quiet dinner and reminisced about old times. "Wow this is another adventure I get to share with the great Twilight Princess and all her glory," Link flirted.

"Oh yes. And another adventure where I have to deal with the great 'Hero of Light and Twilight', or whatever they call you these days," Midna responded.

"Yeah, cause I'm such a horrible person to be around," said Hero fake-pouted. They both laughed for a bit. Becoming serious, he cleared his throat. "Well this will be the real deal. I thought we were saving the world last time from Ganondorf. Now I find out Caedin is practically ten times worse…"

"You worry too much wolfy. You won't be alone. I'll be right there beside you, helping you every step of the way." Link brightened up at that.

"Yeah, I do have you, for which I am very grateful for. We also have Zelda, Darian, and Drimani helping us this time around. We won't have to do everything, although it may be simpler that way," he chuckled.

"Yes, running in and hacking and slashing away really is that simple, isn't it?"

"Hey, it certainly gets the work done!" Link exclaimed. After another bout of laugher escaped the two, they got ready for bed. It was decided Link would take the couch while Midna would sleep in his bed.

"Need anything else before you sleep?" Link asked.

"No, I should be fine, thanks Link," Midna answered softly.

"Well then, goodnight Midna. I… I meant what I said before. I love you."

"I love you too wolf-boy. Sleep well."

A little while later, Midna carefully climbed down from the loft where she was supposed to be sleeping and once again cuddled with Link. He stirred, but did not seem to mind at all as he wove an arm around her. They both were asleep within minutes.

* * *

><p>I apologize in advance, but the next chapter may very well be much of the same. More visitations and such. Anyways hope you are all enjoying this so far! I know I'm having fun writing this! R&amp;R!<p> 


	10. Dreams, Travels and Cooperation

Chapter 10: Dreams, Travels and Cooperation

"_Ionin… But you… You can't be alive! I've been told you were murdered!"_

"_Do I look dead to you Darian? Honestly I feel like you WANT me dead."_

"_No… Ionin, I never would want you gone. Please don't say something like that."_

"_Darian, join me. Together we can take over all the realms and rule peacefully as we should."_

"_Ionin what has gotten into you? You were never like this!" Darian exclaimed. He was shocked Ionin would ever, could ever, talk like this._

"_I take it you will not join me?"_

"_Ionin… Not if you want to take over like this! What happened to you…?"_

"_If you will not join me, you AND your friends will die!" Ionin raised a hand and Darian flew backwards into the wall. Ionin snapped his fingers, and black magic shackled Darian's wrists and ankles, preventing him from moving. "Now then…" Ionin snapped his fingers again, and four figures materialized out of thin air. All were bound similarly and thus could not move. He raised his sword. "Who should I kill first?"_

"_Leave them alone!" Darian yelled. "They have done nothing to you!"_

"_Oh yes they have! They corrupted your mind and led you to believe false things!" He lashed out with the sword, impaling Midna in the chest. Link let out an agonizing scream while Darian struggled to release his bindings, but to no avail. Ionin approached Link next._

"_So, I take it the Hero would like to go next? Very well! Join the Twilight Princess in death!" Before Link passed on, he had a few words._

"_Go… Go to hell… Bastard…" With that, he moved no more._

"_LINK!" Zelda screamed._

"_Ionin, STOP! What the hell are you doing?" Darian shouted. He couldn't believe it. Ionin was killing everyone he held close to him. Why would Ionin do this…?_

"_Purifying the world from all evil! Darian don't you see? They are all evil, and we must defeat all evil! That's what my Master told me, and I will follow him without question! I'll stop now if you join me."_

"_That's not it at all! You've allowed this 'Master' to corrupt your mind! You're becoming the very thing you swore to destroy! Ionin please stop!"_

"_NO! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR INSOLENCE!" Ionin roared before stabbing Zelda. _

"_Darian… I… I lo-… Love you… Don't… Lose yourself…" Zelda was as still as Link and Midna._

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!" Ionin merely laughed as he approached the last victim. He looked up._

"_So you really have gone down the path of Darkness. You have become so corrupted that you would kill your own family. Who are you…" Drimani whispered._

"_I am what I always was. Join me now, both of you, and I will spare your lives."_

"_Go to hell. I would rather die." Drimani spat. Ionin sneered as he raised his sword._

"_Very well then. If Death is what you want, then Death is what you get!" He ran Drimani through with the sword. Darian felt as if his heart was ripped out and torn to shreds. He wanted nothing more now than to kill Ionin for taking away what was close to him. Drimani… Zelda… Link… Midna… Rage took him by force._

"_IONIN! YOU SHALL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" He broke through the bindings easily and flew at Ionin, daggers poised to pierce his black heart. Ionin was ready and launched a spell that hit Darian point-blank. As he fell back to the ground, one thought escaped his lips. "Ionin… Why…? My family… I…"_

* * *

><p>Suddenly Darian woke up panting and sweating. He looked around in alarm for a minute and realized he was back in Hyrule Castle. It was still dark outside, which meant he must have woken up in the middle of the night. <em>Just a bad dream… Thank the Goddesses… <em>He remembered how he felt when his brother, his love, and his two best friends were killed and burst into tears. He now realized they meant the world to him and he could not bear to lose any of them. Suddenly his Triforce glowed.

"_Darian, is everything okay?"_ Zelda's gentle voice came through the connection. Darian could not answer and simply let the tears fall. He did not even know why he was crying like this. Nothing had happened to any of them, they were all still safe. Drimani was in his room, Zelda just spoke to him, and Link and Midna were in Ordon. So why was he crying? He should be happy they are all alive and well! _Damn it Darian, get it together!_ There came a knock on the door, and he bolted up. He pretended to look out the window when it opened.

"Darian…" Zelda spoke quietly. She strolled to where he stood and laid a hand on his shoulder. Darian clenched his fists. "Darian, talk to me. What happened?"

"Nothing… I… I'm fine. Really. Just a bad dream." he responded quickly.

"Darian I know you well enough." Zelda said gently but firmly. She turned him around. "Tell me. What is bothering you? Was it the dream?"

He knew Zelda would not stop until he told her. Secretly that was one of the things he loved about her. She cared about others to the point where she would go out of her way to help, even if it hurt. Darian recalled the part of the dream where she was stabbed and looked away.

"I guess you could say that…" he trailed off.

"Tell me about it. Please. I'm here for you, just like I know you would-"

"Zelda that's just it! You being there for me!"

Zelda looked as if she was just slapped in the face. Darian would never act this way. "Darian what on earth has gotten into you? It sounds like you do not want me here. As if you do not care for me…" she too had tears in her eyes. Darian looked at her and was filled with guilt. _How could I ever say something like that? Oh no, not tears… Zelda…_ Overcome with tears, he fell to his knees.

"Zelda I'm sorry! I just… AAAHHH!" His body started shaking, and he let the tears fall again. Zelda immediately went down on her knees and put an arm around him.

"Darian, stop. Please. Shhhh. I'm here, and I will not leave." She held him close to her and let him cry, knowing he could not tell her what was bothering him until he calmed down.

After a time, Darian finally looked up. "Zelda, I'm sorry for all this… I should not have said what I said before. I… I do like it when you're there for me. Just like I would always be for you. I just… Don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me." Zelda realized now she could not be without him. There was something about him that was keeping her attached to him, although she could not put her finger on it.

"That's not what I meant…" Darian explained the dream, every last detail, and Zelda finally understood: he was afraid of being alone and betrayed. He continued. "Zelda I think of the four of you as my family. You are the only one for me, Drimani is my brother, and Link and Midna are my best friends. You are the only ones I have left. I can't lose any of you. I would rather die than let any harm befall any of you. Especially you." Before he could say any more, Zelda pulled him into a kiss and poured all of her emotions into it, hoping he would understand what she felt. Darian put his arms around her and returned the gesture, not having any regrets.

Zelda slowly broke off and looked at Darian. "Now do you understand? No matter what happens, I will always be with you. Always." Darian nodded his head, and they both clambered onto his bed and he pulled the covers over them.

"Zelda… Thank you." She smiled back at him.

"I love you," she murmured. They were both asleep soon enough.

* * *

><p>Link woke up early in the morning; the Sun was only beginning to rise. He looked down and noticed Midna sleeping, her head on his chest and an arm around him. He smiled kindly and gently pushed her off of him. Deciding to let her sleep some more, Link rolled the blanket back over her and kissed her forehead before leaving the room to take a stroll outside. For reasons unknown to him, he wandered back to Ordon Springs and saw his faithful horse Epona waiting for him. He took out the Shadow Crystal and transformed into the great wolf.<p>

"_Hey girl. How have you been doing these days?"_

"_I have been doing rather well Master. I noticed you are the earliest up of the three?"_

"_It surely seems that way. I let Midna sleep some more, and even if she got up, we were going to wait patiently for Rusl so we could accompany him back. There is no reason to rush."_

"_You are quite right. It is only dawn after all." _A rustle in the bushes jerked them out of their conversation. Link looked around in alarm, but only found Midna. He relaxed as she approached. _"I'll be changing back now."_

"_Very well Master."_ Link reverted back to his human form and turned to the Twilight Princess. "I didn't know you would be up so soon. I got up gently so I could let you sleep!"

"It's fine Link. I woke up just now and noticed you were gone. So, naturally I thought you were here." She gave him a small smile. "Where is Rusl? We are supposed to take him back to the Castle."

"Yes that is true. But remember it is still dawn. Quite early. And I thought we would be patient. He is, after all, leaving his family for a very dangerous war."

"I suppose you're right. I-" she was cut off as Rusl appeared, riding his own horse and wielding the Ordon Sword (Link gave back the sword as he now had the Blade of Evil's Bane).

"Are we ready to go?" he asked.

"Rusl!" Link spoke up. "We thought you would be up much later. You have a family here, so we would understand if you wished to leave later." Rusl waved him off.

"We talked about it, and we felt it was for the best that I leave early. Well let's get a move on! We should get there by noon. I would like to meet the others in person and help General Drimani as best as possible."

"I think he will allow you to call him Drimani." Midna responded. "He does not seem like the kind to have people call them by title."

"Well, if he tells me to call him only by name, I shall do so," Rusl answered with a smile as Link straddled Epona, Midna behind him.

"Let's get going then. I doubt Zelda would want to be kept waiting." They took off, side by side, heading for Hyrule Castle.

It turns out they did not have any problems on the way to Castle Town, encountering only a few monsters that Link easily dispatched with his arrows. When they arrived at their destination, they found the guards once again blocking the door. They sneered at Link.

"Well it looks like the HERO is back. What do you want?" one of the guards said.

"Seriously guys. I am a little busy to deal with the likes of you. Let us in. We brought Captain Rusl." The guards looked Rusl up and down and burst into laughter. Link might just end up decapitating them one day for their constant insults.

"Him? _Captain?_ That's a good one!" Rusl rolled his eyes slightly, Link clearly wanted a go at them now, while Midna was beside herself.

"Listen here punks! I don't care how tough you guys think you are! These two can take your heads off if they wanted to! Let us through THIS INSTANT or I'll attack you, considering they would be too nice to do so!" The guards fell over laughing.

"A woman attack us? Hahahaha!" A bolt of purple magic very narrowly missed one of the guards.

"The next one will not miss!" she growled menacingly. The guards looked at her in alarm and then hastily opened the door.

"Please! R- Right this way!" Once Link, Midna, and Rusl went through the door, they burst into laughter.

"Did you see their faces? Priceless!" Link said through his laughter.

"Wolfy don't make me do the same to you!" Midna warned half-jokingly.

"I haven't done anything! I was laughing at how scared they were!"

"You certainly made yourself known," Rusl cut in with a chuckle. They stopped as Drimani approached them.

"Ah. Link, Midna. I take it your journey went well?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, very much so. We did not encounter many monsters," Link answered.

"That is good to hear," Drimani replied. He then addressed Rusl. "Hello. You must be Captain Rusl. I have heard great things about you. My name is Drimani."

"Well met, General Drimani," Rusl said. They shook hands warmly before Drimani responded.

"I would prefer that you call me Drimani. I may be General, but that would only be to the regular soldiers and those who give us problems, like those guards that would not let you in."

"Oh I took care of them, don't worry," Midna cut in. Drimani chuckled.

"Yes, I saw what you pulled. I must say if you were trying to miss, you did it perfectly. Not too far off, yet not too close. Very threatening, but great work making a point." He grew serious again, but his tone was still pleasant. "Rusl, please accompany me to the training grounds. Ashei and Medeus are already there, yet we need you in order to begin our meeting. Once we organize the troops into separate groups, we will lead them in many specific exercises. Five months is hardly enough time to get them ready, but it'll have to do. As we speak, Zant is strengthening his forces."

"Right away."

Drimani turned to Link and Midna. "You two need to get moving as well. Zelda and Darian are expecting you."

"On our way… General." Link emphasized the title and winked. Drimani chuckled and left, Rusl close behind. Link and Midna left for Zelda's study.

"Looks like Drimani is handling himself rather well today. I think he will do well." Link murmured.

"He certainly looks a lot more confident than before. I'm curious to see what he is truly made of." Midna added. Link knocked on the door. "It's open!" Zelda called, and Link led the way into the room.

"Ah, you made it safely. I take it Rusl has decided to join us?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, and wholeheartedly I must say," Link answered. He turned to Darian. "Hi Dari. Sleep well?"

"Ehh, I had a bad dream. Nothing to worry about." He smiled reassuringly. "So are we leaving or what?"

"Yes, if everyone is ready. We shall first travel to the Gorons." Zelda said.

"Then let us take you there," Midna offered. Within seconds they had disappeared from the study and reappeared on Death Mountain.

"It's so hot up here. How did you deal with the excessive heat?" Darian wondered.

"Midna used her magic to protect us. But this is nothing! When we went directly into the volcano, the heat was almost unbearable, even with her magic!" Link answered.

"Then let's avoid that. Please? I do not really like heat." Darian laughed. They finally approached the Goron Patriarch.

"Brother! It is good to see you again! How have you been?" he boomed, clapping Link on the shoulder enthusiastically. Link had to rub it to ease the pain; Gorons were known for their excessive strength and any high-fives and hugs could easily break bones in a normal human.

"I've been well, dear Brother! How is everything up here? Any trouble?"

"Not at all! We have all been doing great! Tell me, what can I do for you?"

"Truth be told, we need your help. I think Princess Zelda would explain the situation better than I could." Said Princess stepped forward.

"Indeed, a great Evil has fallen upon us again and we require your help." She outlined her plans and what they were up against, while the Goron Patriarch listened intently. After sitting in thought, he looked up and smiled.

"Very well! If men are what you require, you shall have them! I will send as many of our finest warriors as possible."

"You have no idea how grateful we are. You would be willing to help us even though my kingdom is far different from yours," Midna said quietly. "Thank you."

"We really appreciate the effort, even if you do not know us." Darian added, bowing his head in respect.

"Have no worries young ones. Any friend of our dear Brother here is a friend of ours!"

Once they stepped out of sight, Zelda had Midna warp them, this time to the Zoras' Domain. Darian gasped while Link laughed. "What? Never been in this kind of haven before?"

"I have only heard about it from…" Darian hesitated. "From… Certain people. It is beautiful here. Everything is so calm, like nothing would ever happen here." Zelda looked suspiciously at him but said nothing. She knew he was hiding something. They approached the throne room where Ralis sat. He looked up and smiled at the four travelers while they took a bow.

"Ah, rise my friends. Link it is so good to see you again. How have you been?" Ralis asked, pulling Link into a hug.

"I have been okay. Well, not exactly. We are in danger again."

"Explain." Zelda stepped forward and once again explained the situation. Ralis stood in thought, just as the Goron Patriarch did. When he answered, however, his words were not as positive.

"I shall give it some thought my friends. We have warriors, but I am afraid of losing more of my people. We were already massacred before…"

"Ralis, we understand if you cannot provide reinforcements. We just got out of a war, so we know what it feels like." Link said gently. Darian gasped. _Ralis? I've heard that name once before, but… Who?_ He suddenly remembered a lost Zoran wandering through the Night Realm, and his father helped return him back to the Realm of Light. He widened his eyes in realization. That Zoran was… The father of the young King standing before him now. But where was the old Zoran? Ralis saw Darian staring and addressed him.

"Is something wrong, dear traveler?"

"It's just that… Ralis… No. Perhaps it would be easier to show you…" Darian unhooked his cloak and let it fall to the ground. He stretched his wings so the Zoras could clearly see. Ralis was shocked.

"Herion…?" he whispered. "But… You… What are you doing here?"

Link, Zelda, and Midna all looked at the young Guardian. What was going on, how did these two know each other? And why did Ralis just call him Herion?

"Ralis," Darian said quietly. "Herion… Was my father. I am his second son, Darian. I remember him helping a Zoran that suddenly appeared in our realm. Was that Zoran your father?"

"Yes… You speak of your father in the past tense."

"Herion was assassinated about a month ago," Darian responded sadly. "That's why I was hopeful to find your father here. He always said this place was beautiful and peaceful. I can see he did not lie." he finished with a small smile.

"I agree, it has been our home for a long time now." Ralis hesitated, and continued. "My parents are both dead. That is why I lead the tribe now. It is… Much pressure at times. Sometimes I find myself overwhelmed every so often." Darian was hit with sadness. He knew exactly what it felt like to lose family.

"I'm so sorry Ralis. I know exactly what that feels like. I lost my mother due to illness, my father was assassinated, and my older brother was killed by the madman we are now trying to fight. I should be the king of my realm, and yet I know I cannot be until we finish off our enemies. And even so, I do not think I will assume the throne in my home realm…" he trailed off, looking slightly at Zelda, who smiled in response.

Ralis sat in deep thought. "Because your father helped mine so long ago, I shall provide as many of my best warriors as I can. Please keep them safe."

"We shall," Darian bowed. "Be sure to keep some for yourself in case evil comes knocking at your door."

Ralis smiled. "I shall do so my friend. When should my men arrive?"

"As soon as possible," Zelda stated.

"Very well then. Link it was great to see you. Darian, I thank you again for visiting and telling me the truth. May our parents and your brother rest peacefully."

"Thank you Ralis. I am sure they will once we restore peace to our realms. Oh and one more question."

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if I took a dive off your waterfall? I have heard that it is rather fun!" Ralis laughed openly.

"Of course!" With that, the four travelers bade Ralis farewell and approached the cliff where the waterfall was located. Darian smiled mischievously.

"Hehe I have always wanted to try this! Link, have you?" He turned to his right and chuckled when he saw the aforementioned Hero in the Zora tunic, returning a laugh. "Looks like you have!"

"Darian, _don't you dare_," Zelda hissed.

"Link we are NOT here to play games!" Midna glowered. The men merely smirked as they took their positions roughly five meters from the cliff edge.

"So are we making a splash or are we being graceful?" Link asked playfully.

"Hmm," Darian sat in mock-thought. "I say graceful. We shall dive."

"_Link…" "Darian…"_

"Princesses you really need to relax more and have some fun!" Link exclaimed. He turned to Darian. "Ready?"

"When you are!" he responded. They both took off and jumped clean off the edge and tilted their bodies into dives. Link managed a couple of twists while Darian pinned his wings close to his body, simply enjoying the rush. "WHOOOOOO-HOOOOO!" They entered the water at the same time, making a very small splash. Underwater, Darian motioned slightly with his hands and a bubble appeared over his nose and mouth, allowing him to breathe. "Link let's stay down here for a bit." Noticing the Zoras looking at them both, he said "It's just a silly prank for the two ladies we left on the cliff." They laughed in response and let them stay down there.

"Darian we are going to give them heart attacks." Link chuckled.

"That's kind of the point. Scare them a bit, you know?"

After roughly three minutes, they began to hear panicked voices and silently laughed.

"Oh Goddesses! LINK! DARIAN!" Zelda cried. "Why did they have to be such idiots!"

"Please come up… I'm begging you both… Please…" Midna said quietly, tears in her eyes.

Link signaled, and he and Darian ascended to the surface, breaking out in fits of laughter. "Oh you should have seen their faces!" Link roared.

"Priceless! I think we are getting really good at this!" Darian added. Midna and Zelda could not believe it. These two not only scared them to death, but they had the nerve to laugh at their misery!

"OH NO! YOU DID NOT JUST DO THAT!" Zelda screamed through her tears. "WHAT WERE YOU BOTH THINKING?"

"WOLF-BOY! HOW DARE YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT?" Midna screeched. Normal people would be scared of the two thundering Princesses, but Link and Darian were not normal people. They just continued laughing. "I AM GOING TO KILL-!"

_Splash!_ Link had just sent water her way, soaking her clothes and her hair. Darian roared with laughter.

"What are you both waiting for? If you are going to kill us, you'll have to play on our turf!" he called before splashing Zelda. She was fuming.

"DARIAN YOU COME OUT THIS INSTANT!"

"MAKE ME!" he yelled back, blowing a raspberry before swimming away.

"Come on, my little imp! Let's play!" Link teased, splashing Midna with more water before he took off as well.

"PLAY?" the Twilight Princess screamed. "YOU SCARED ME SENSELESS AND ALL YOU WANT TO DO NOW IS _PLAY_?"

Link and Darian looked at each other and decided there was only one way to truly make them come play. They swam back over and waited for the two ladies. "Weeellll… I guess we COULD come up and out of the water…" Darian mocked. "But first…" Zelda and Midna edged closer as they heard him mumble something to Link. They continued whispering until the two were close enough to the edge. They realized too late that it was a trap. The boys caught their hands. "Make us get out!" Link finished as they pulled the two Princesses in the water and promptly swam away.

"DARIAN!" Zelda sputtered. "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU-!"

"You'll do nothing because you love me too much," Darian cut her off before splashing her with more water. He openly laughed while she swam over to him and splashed him back angrily. They continued on with this little display before Zelda grabbed Darian and they started twisting and turning, trying to get the other underwater.

Link was watching this performance and was laughing so hard he thought his lungs might burst. Suddenly, he was dunked underwater by a raging Midna, who then mirthlessly laughed. Unlike Darian, Link decided to stay underwater and play shark. The Twilight Princess did not see him coming and he pulled her underwater by her ankle. She tried to kick out at him, but missed pitifully, as he quickly pulled her down to his level. Just before her lungs started protesting from lack of air, Link kissed her.

Midna thought she was dreaming. She heard stories of underwater kissing and how nice and peaceful it is. But she never thought it would be so wonderful. She would never forget sharing that moment with the man she loved dearly, just as he would always hold it close to his heart. Eventually they resurfaced, gentle and loving smiles on their faces. They turned to see Darian and Zelda still locked in a kind of wrestling match. They winked at each other before swimming towards them slowly and deliberately. They never saw it coming; Midna ripped Zelda off of Darian and threw her underwater while Darian was pulled under, again by the ankle.

Moments later they resurfaced to a laughing Link and Midna and decided to team up against the couple. They went on for a few hours, simply enjoying the time they had together, splashing and dunking. Finally when they deemed it was time, the clambered out of the water, and Zelda performed a spell that dried their clothes in less than two minutes.

"We should get back to the castle," Zelda said quietly, secretly wishing for more time in the water.

"Yeah, I guess we should start our training as well," Link added. When the others looked at him, he shrugged. "I mean we have five months. I was thinking about learning some magic myself to become stronger."

"I agree," Darian nodded. "I personally need to strengthen my attack spells and keep up with my defensive and healing capabilities. Not to mention I need to prevent my sword skills from becoming rusty." Zelda and Midna nodded in agreement and within a few minutes they were back in Hyrule Castle. Walking back to their rooms, they stopped. Link turned and looked at Darian.

"Best time of the day? When they thought we drowned."

Darian sniggered. "Yes yes, I agree. The poor damsels…" Zelda smacked his arm and looked at him with slightly watery eyes.

"Don't ever do that again. That really scared me." Darian kissed her gently.

"Zellie don't worry, we won't. Goodnight Link, Midna." With that, he and Zelda walked into Darian's room and shut the door.

"We should sleep too you know. Or…" Midna suddenly gave Link an evil grin. "I could punish you for scaring me the way you did, wolfy."

Link looked at her apologetically. "Midna I'm sorry. I promise not to do that again. Although it was rather fun…" he gave her a wolfish grin before kissing her. "But at some point Mid, we should prank Darian and Zelda."

"Ooohhh that will be fun," Midna said mischievously, her eyes glinting brightly. But then she yawned and knew they needed sleep more than planning pranks. "Link, we really should sleep though." Link said no more and they changed, climbed into bed, and snuggled into one another again.

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><p>Hope you guys enjoyed this! It's time for my 'midterm grade'. How am I doing? Don't be shy, R&amp;R!<p> 


	11. Training and Dilemmas

Hey guys! I'm back! Sorry it took me so long! I have a lot of college work to do. Anyways on to the next chapter!

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><p>Chapter 11: Training and Dilemmas<p>

It had been roughly eight weeks since the day Link, Midna, Zelda, and Darian travelled to the Gorons and Zoras and asked for their help. A few days later, they had arrived at Hyrule Castle, ready to train and prepare for the upcoming war. Drimani, general of the army, had his work cut out for him: plan strategies, encourage the troops, and make sure the training was going as planned and no shortcuts were taken. Rusl, Ashei, and Medeus were all offering their help in organizing exercises and planning with Drimani. All in all, training the soldiers to work well with each other was going rather smoothly, and almost all of the troops got along with each other.

While the army trained at the grounds of the castle, the Princess of Light had transported the others to Arbiter's Grounds to begin their own arduous training. They knew the training they would undertake was far more dangerous and thus needed the seclusion to prevent hurting the other soldiers. All of them were now working on their weaknesses and keeping their strengths from becoming rusty.

Link spent most of his time working with the Fused Shadow piece that had offered him assistance not too long ago. He could now fly for short periods of time and warp wherever he wished to go, but in doing so he consumed a large amount of energy. He was even able to cast spells, mostly defensive techniques he developed with Darian's help, but Midna had taken the time to teach him a few attack spells. He would also become familiar with Light Arrows and throwing knives, getting help from Zelda whenever appropriate. The Light Arrows, Link realized, were much harder to control than the regular arrows he once used and took energy to wield. In time, he was able to fire the arrows with good precision. In short, Link was the quickest to learn the new techniques, although he needed further training to fully develop his new powers. However, his swordplay and close range combat became nearly unstoppable, which was why he was the team's main swordsman and close combatant.

Darian would be spending his time working on his reflexes and perfecting his defensive and healing capabilities. By now, he was able to hold the basic blue barrier for extended periods of time without breaking a sweat, and started working with the barrier to perform other tasks such as redirecting magic and projectiles back to where they originated. He also began training his attack spells to become more familiar in that department, asking Midna and Zelda for assistance, a request they were only too happy to accept. His healing skills were an invaluable asset to the team, as he was able to heal all but fatal injuries. His capabilities with the Darkwhip were unmatched by all, and was deadly with his twin daggers. In close range combat, only Link surpassed him. Darian would become the team's healer and main defense, using the whip as his main weapon.

Zelda was training on improving her Light Magic and the ways of the sword. Using the Triforce of Wisdom and her recently acquired stamina, the amount of spells she could cast rose greatly, and by now was able to even cast multiple spells simultaneously, although they were not quite as powerful. She had also received training from Midna and Darian in the ways of Twilight and Night magic, augmenting her magical skills. Link helped her train in close combat, giving her tips and teaching her the more experienced moves he picked up along his previous travels. She was now able to duel using close combat if she had to. Zelda's main strength was in her ability with the Light Arrows and throwing knives. Her accuracy was matched by none, hitting all of her targets with impeccable aim. She was now able to fire dozens of Light Arrows without feeling fatigued. Zelda became the team's long-ranged fighter, attacking with the Light Arrows and throwing knives, along with using magic to aid the others and distract the enemy.

Midna, like Zelda, was training in the ways of the sword and she, like Zelda, was quickly learning the more complicated moves Link was taught during the Twilight Crisis. In time, she was able to combine her Twilight Magic with the sword to become more agile and capable. She was able to duel Darian for a long period of time before he finally defeated her, and was even able to make Link break a sweat, for which she laughed at, earning a playful scowl from the Hero. Midna also became experienced in defensive spells, courtesy of Darian, and used them to block incoming attacks in close range combat should she not be able to block using her sword. Her strength by far was in her attack spells. Midna's magic was powerful enough to destroy even the most powerful objects and cause instant death to powerful warriors. Only Darian was able to successfully deflect her spells, although he quickly fatigued due to the strain. She became the team's attacking mage, using her devastating spells to destroy any opposition that would come her way. The most interesting part of her training was that she started developing a connection with the other three, communicating her thoughts to them through her mind. Midna knew about the Triforce and how the Bearers could communicate with one another through their pieces. Which made it even more surprising that she could now do the same. She even thought she saw a faint outline on her right hand, but brushed it off quickly as an awkward lighting from the sun.

The four Heroes would spar every now and again, using any method they wished to make the opponent submit. Each of them managed to duel the others one on one, gaining an understanding and respect for the methods they used. They had even formed teams to take the other two opponents down. One of two such matches had Darian and Link facing Zelda and Midna, and the duel ended in a stalemate. This was owing to the fact that Link had managed to roll behind Zelda and raise his sword to her neck while Midna brought a bolt close to Link's chest, thus eliminating them both. This left Midna and Darian to duel, attack against defense. Darian seemed to be losing, until he purposefully let his barrier shatter, barely dodging the bolt Midna had fired. She fired another bolt, smiling smugly as it seemed Darian was not going to be able to repel it, only to be shocked when he used his wings to block the bolt. A moment later, Darian was inches away, his hand glowing dark blue and pointing at her chest while her hand was glowing purple and pointed at his head, resulting in the draw. The other team duel had Link and Midna paired against Darian and Zelda. This battle lasted much longer, and ended with Link and Midna narrowly winning once Midna had her glowing hand trained on Zelda's chest.

The third team duel was about to begin, as the sun was beginning to set. On one side of the Grounds, Link and Zelda stood eyeing their opponents, Darian and Midna, who seemed to be doing the same. This was going to be a battle of speed and agility versus attack and defense. This time, Link had a trick up his sleeve. He used the Triforce to communicate his thoughts with Zelda.

"_Hey Zellie. I may try to bring in the Fused Shadow and my own magic into the fight to catch them off guard."_

"_Okay wolfy, but be careful as they may have tricks of their own. Remember we do not have attack and defense on our side."_

"_I know, which is why speed, agility, and the element of surprise would need to work out in our favor."_ Link approached the two opponents slowly, raising his sword and shield in anticipation. He decided to taunt them. "Hey my little imp!" he called. "Ready for a merciless ass-kicking?" Her response was sending a bolt of magic his way, which he easily dodged.

"Dream on wolf-boy!" Midna hollered back. "I can kick your sorry behind any time I want!" She began relentlessly firing bolts of magic at the Hero, who promptly began dodging the assault. He soon realized he was going to have to implement his tricks soon if he and Zelda were going to win.

"_Zelda, try holding Darian away long enough so I can get to Midna. I can't warp behind her and attack if Darian would notice."_

"_I'll see what I can do."_ Zelda launched throwing knives at Darian, who brought up his blue barrier. The knives were held up by the barrier and instead began raining back down on Zelda, who used Nayru's love to stop the knives in their tracks. This did the trick, however, as Darian decided to pursue Zelda with the Darkwhip in his hand. She dodged his attacks nimbly and brought out her sword to attack him at close range. This forced Darian to retract his whip and bring out his daggers. Locked in a furious battle, they completely ignored Link and Midna, the former of which was dodging the latter's attacks.

"Hey Midna! You couldn't hit the black stone with that pathetic aim, much less me!" Link was joking.

"I don't think you even launched an attack on me yet! Dodging like a chicken won't get you anywhere!"

"You're right! Here I come! _Boleda Maro!"_ Midna was shocked at the fireball headed her way and only narrowly dodged the bolt. _Magic? _she thought. _Impressive… But he should know that won't get him anywhere! It's time I show him what MY magic can do._

"Haha nice parlor trick! But you'll have to do better than that to…" she was cut off as Link suddenly disappeared. She did not even have time to turn as he pressed the cold steel of his blade against her neck.

"You were saying?" he chided playfully.

"Damn… Alright wolf-boy, next time you won't be so lucky." They watched as Darian and Zelda continued with their fight. Zelda seemed pretty well matched up for only truly learning how to swordfight in the last two months. However, as expected, Darian eventually disarmed her and brought his daggers to her chest.

"Good duel Zelda, but I believe I have won."

"Yes, I agree." Then she turned to Link. _"Link please beat him. I'd rather we not lose."_

"_I'll do my best."_ Darian approached Link and smiled, pointing his daggers at him.

"Well I see it's just you and me left, huh old friend?"

"Seems like it! Let's put on a show for all to enjoy!" Link answered.

The ensuing duel seemed to take hours as each participant fought his hardest to gain the upper hand. Not only were flight and warping used, but quick magic spells were also in play. Neither Darian nor Link could outsmart each other. Zelda and Midna looked on in awe as the two continued their match.

"_Your wolf is going to win. Dari only got lucky against me." _Zelda teased.

"_Dream on. Wolfy is going to lose and I will laugh in his face." _Midna retorted. She was proven wrong when Link finally managed to sidestep Darian's lunge and brought his sword to his back.

"Shoot," Darian spoke quietly after they caught their breaths. "That was awesome. Congratulations Link."

"Thanks Dari. I have to admit, you would have defeated Ganondorf with those moves I'm sure." At this both men laughed.

"I'm quite flattered that you would say that, thank you," Darian joked. He turned to the ladies and addressed the group as a whole. "Well I can safely say that we have improved much since we first started training. I personally feel like I can take on Zant myself."

"Uhh no," Midna held a hand up. "It is I who shall be taking on Zant."

"And leave us to deal with the pathetic clones he dubs his army? Never!" Link laughed. "If anything I'll help you!"

"Wolf-boy…" Midna stopped when Link gave her his trademark glare, his eyes showing the hidden beast within. "Fine. But only because we faced him before!" she added quickly. Darian and Zelda decided to push her buttons a little more.

"Midna, Link and I faced him for the Fused Shadow that would later save your sorry butt from that dungeon…" Darian pointed out. Midna glared at him.

"Hey, I still have a score to settle with him because he took over my kingdom," Zelda added. Link burst out laughing while the Twilight Princess shot the Light Princess a look that clearly said "_You're not helping!"_

"Looks like you have nothing else to say Mid. All of us have our reasons for fighting Zant. Let us help. And we will not take 'no' for an answer." He grinned wolfishly while Midna sighed.

"Oh whatever. You three are starting to bug me. I might end up blasting you all with magic before I fight Zant." The others feigned hurt.

"Oh come now, you love us and you know it," Darian said with a wink.

"Please don't blast us," Zelda added dryly.

"Otherwise Caedin screws the world!" Link finished.

"Will you all just _shut up_!" They continued harassing Midna even after they were back within the castle walls. Once they had their dinner (Drimani joined them and discussed how much the soldiers improved), they each left to do their own thing. Zelda had to attend to business regarding her kingdom, so she was now sitting in her office. Drimani went to town with Ashei; the first "date" had gone very well and they became quite close. Link took a walk in the castle grounds, simply enjoying the evening. He was surprised that Midna did not join him, yet he was comfortable giving her as much privacy as she needed. Darian was back in his room, meditating in order to calm his emotions and clear his mind. At least until someone knocked on his door, disrupting his session. Wondering who it could be, he opened the door, and was surprised to see…

"Hi Midna."

"Hey Darian." The two stared at each other awkwardly until the Twilight Princess spoke up again. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about… some things."

Darian snapped out of his thoughts and stepped to the side. "Of course! Come in," he said with a smile. Midna stepped into the room while he closed the door behind her. Seeing the woman standing around, he gestured to a comfortable chair. "Well make yourself comfortable! I'm not going to bite!"

Midna sat down in the aforementioned chair. "Umm… I was not sure of who else to go to about this certain issue that I have…" she began.

"Well I would have guessed that you would take it up with Link first. After all, you two are a couple," Darian responded.

"It's just that though. It's about… Link." Darian frowned.

"What about him? Don't tell me you don't have feelings for the Hero…"

"No! It's nothing like that!" Midna said quickly. Darian visibly relaxed. "It's just… A dilemma I have."

"I see." Darian sat in thought for a moment and then continued. "Well I cannot guarantee helping you, but I shall do my best." He concluded with a gentle smile.

"Thank you. Well…" Midna trailed off. Was this even a good idea? Darian was Link's best friend after all. Perhaps it would have been better to talk to Drimani? But he would not understand the situation. She realized if anyone could help, Darian could. "It's just, what will happen after this war to save the world?"

"Hmm… I have not really thought about it. I normally live in the moment and take things as they come. That is how I have always been. Midna why do you ask this question?"

"I wanted to know from you. What do you plan to do after the war?" Darian sat in thought. He had talked with Zelda about what happened after, if they managed to survive that is.

"Well… I was planning on turning the kingdom over to Drimani, as I have no doubt that he would make a great king."

"But why?"

"The answer, although possibly difficult to understand, is simple. Zelda and I talked about this, and it has been decided that should we survive the battle with Caedin, she and I would to be wed and rule together here in the Light Realm."

Midna looked at him thoughtfully. "I am simply worried for my kingdom Darian…" Said Night Dweller cut her off.

"So you know what to do."

"It's not that simple."

"How is it not? If you feel you have a duty to your people…"

"Yes, but my heart belongs to Link. I know I have to give up one of the two. My people, or Link."

Darian was surprised. He thought Midna would figure it out through his example with Zelda. "Midna, you do not have to sacrifice either of them."

"What do you mean?" she asked, even though she thought she knew where he was going.

"I'm saying once the war is over, take Link with you to the Twilight Realm and rule together. It's that simple."

"No." Midna said immediately. "I cannot do that."

"And why not?"

"First of all, how would my people react to a Light Dweller as King of Twilight? I also cannot take him from his home world, where all of his friends and family are."

"Midna… To answer your question, they would react the same way as the people of Hyrule would once Zelda announces our marriage. Some would support us, and some would not. But that would happen no matter who Zelda marries. Such is the life of politics. As to your second statement…" Darian paused. "I think Link believes that wherever you are, that is where he should be. His heart is set on you."

"But that will make it harder for me to do what I should." Midna protested.

Darian was beginning to get annoyed. "Are you saying that after all that he has done for you, saving your world once, saving you from Zant, and will help recover your world once again from mad usurpers, that you would be willing to give him up again?"

"I think that would be the right thing to do." Midna's voice was rising now. "After all, I have my kingdom to look after. I cannot have the council at my throat for choosing a Light Dweller as my husband. Not only could they take my throne, but they may hurt Link."

"Forgive me Princess, but it sounds to me like you simply assume this without first asking this council of yours and your people for their opinions." Darian responded coldly.

"Why does that matter to you?" Midna growled.

"Because I do not want you to be sorry later that you had not asked." Darian shot back. He did not like where this was going.

"It doesn't matter anyways. Once this whole thing is done, I will go back to my kingdom and Link will stay here. Perhaps I would prevent him from coming back to the Twilight as before."

Darian laughed bitterly. "Oh yeah, running away again are we Princess? In case you haven't noticed, you cannot prevent him from reaching your world. He has already successfully combined the magic of the Fused Shadow with the Master Sword, thus granting him access whenever he chooses."

"I'll find a way," Midna retorted.

"You are making a huge mistake!" Darian exclaimed. "You two love each other too much! If you sever the connection, should you find a way, the both of you will be devastated beyond belief! Just listen to yourself!"

"LOVE DOES NOT MATTER IN THIS SITUATION!" Midna screamed.

"OF COURSE IT DOES! IT CAN DICTATE HOW WELL YOU CAN RULE THE KINGDOM! IF YOUR HEART IS NOT TRULY THERE, YOU CANNOT MAKE AN EFFECTIVE RULER!" Darian yelled back.

"WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT RULING? YOU NEVER WERE ONE!" Darian was stung by these words but he quickly recovered.

"MUCH MORE THAN YOU THINK!" He took a minute to calm down before speaking again, in a quieter but cold tone nonetheless. "Look. It seems to me that you have already made your decision. All I can tell you is you are an idiot for not choosing the path that is the best for your people and for yourself."

"Hmpf, don't you call me an idiot. You would never understand." Midna fired back.

"Neither would I."

Both Midna and Darian turned to the door and were shocked at who they saw. "Link…" Darian started but stopped. He noticed something in Link had changed. His demeanor was no longer pleasant as it had been in the past, but much darker now. He was beginning to get worried. "How much have you heard…?"

"Oh I heard enough," Link spat, alarming Darian. The Hero turned to Midna. "I hope you're happy Twilight Princess. You'll be getting everything you want once this thing blows over. Your kingdom, your people, the world, peace. I can see that I will not be a part of that, even though I gave my heart to you and even decided to give you another chance after you broke the Mirror, thinking that you had done it for a noble reason."

"Link, please…" Midna was cut off brutally.

"Say no more. It is clear what you want. I'm merely glad I found out about this sooner rather than right when it was happening… Like before." With that, Link stormed out of the room.

"Link!" Darian called. He heard a door being opened and loudly closing. "Oh no…" He whirled on the Twilight Princess. "See what this has caused? You just broke his heart. AGAIN. Congratulations." Darian quickly left the room as well to go find Zelda. He needed to calm down and Zelda always had the ability to make him do just that.

Midna just sat on the bed in the now vacated room and began to cry. _Link… What have I done…? __Please... Come back._

* * *

><p><em><em>This chapter was a little shorter than before, considering that it is one of the few interlude chapters. I have decided to split my tale into three parts. The first part is the opening and rescue, spanning chapters 1-7, the interlude from chapter 8 to wherever the battles begin, and the battles make up the last chapters. Hopefully I'll have chapter 12 up soon! R&R!


	12. Comfort and Confrontation

Wow! My schoolwork really took a lot out of me. However, I have not given up on the story. So, enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

><p>Chapter 12: Comfort and Confrontation<p>

"Link… Link please open up." Darian was standing outside of Link's door the morning after his argument with Midna. He could not understand why she was being this stubborn. He knew as much as the others that she loved the Hero deeply, and this love most likely stemmed from their previous adventure. From what Darian heard, when Midna shattered the Mirror of Twilight, Link was left heartbroken, and he surmised the Twilight Princess felt the same way. Things finally seemed to look up for the pair when they were safely back in the Light Realm, away from Zant and his forces. So why did Midna want to split up from Link so badly once the war was over, assuming they survived? It didn't make any sense for the young Night Guardian.

He grew alarmed when Link did not respond, and grew wary when he did not even hear a noise coming out of his room. "Link, answer me. I'll break down the door if you keep quiet." When only silence responded, Darian decided enough was enough. He opened the door to the Hero's room, and was surprised that no one was there. The room was deserted and clean, as if no one had slept there the previous nights. He took a closer look and found a note on the bed. Fearing the worst, the Guardian took the letter and opened it.

_Dear family,_

_I have come to realize that no matter what I do, it never seems to be enough. Not for the people of Hyrule, nor for the Goddesses. I thought I got my life together when I found all of you and felt as if I were finally home. How wrong I was indeed. I would never truly be home, and I know now that nobody would like for me to be in their lives. So I have decided to say goodbye in this letter, and to offer you all my thanks for what you all have done for me. Drimani, although I have known you the least, you are an amazing general and a good friend. I am glad to have met you, as you made me think from different perspectives and helped me plan on how to train appropriately. Zelda, thank you for being the sister I never had. Without your wisdom and guidance, I would not have made it this far. I know you shall make a fine queen, leading your people to prosperity and protecting them from danger. Darian…_ Darian shed a single tear while he read this part. _Darian, thank you for being my best friend. You always had a great sense of humor, and know just the things to say to help me. You also helped me in my time of need with the Fused Shadow. I can never thank you enough. Please, protect Zelda and everyone else. They all need you. Midna… Thank you… For helping me learn the true meaning of love. You were always there for me, from the very beginning, whether it was breaking my shackles in the dungeons of the castle or helping me fight Ganondorf and Zant. I love you with all my heart Midna, and I am truly sorry you do not feel the same way. I should have not been so selfish and let you go when you wanted me to, but I could not have. I cared too much for you. Even now, I know that I could never stop loving you even if I tried. I'm sorry… That I must go… May the Goddesses be with you all in your fight with Caedin. Farewell._

_Love,_

_Link, Hero of Light and Twilight, Brother and Friend_

Darian read over the letter once more, with a trembling hand, realizing Link must have left the castle when nobody was looking. His mind going into overdrive, he contacted Zelda. _"Zelda! Come here, quickly!"_ Not a minute later, the Light Princess ran into the room.

"What's wrong?" she asked, but stopped when she noticed Darian's grim expression.

"Link's gone… He left us this note," he responded slowly, passing the note to Zelda. She read it once and burst into tears.

"Wha-? He can't be gone! He just can't! Not when we need him! How did this happen?" she demanded.

"He heard the fight between Midna and I and must have fled the castle when no one was looking." he answered dully.

"What are we waiting for then? We must find him right now and make him realize what he is saying is really hurting us! And that we need him for the fight!"

"Zel, he could be anywhere at this point! We don't know where he went, or how far he's gone. Plus… I don't think Midna really cares." Darian added darkly.

"We could contact him using the Triforce and determine his location from that. We must try!" Zelda cried.

"I can attempt to do this, but I can't guarantee anything…" Darian's Triforce lit up as he concentrated to find Link. _"Link… Where are you? Answer me." _He got no response however, which did not surprise him. "Zelda I can't reach him. Maybe you could try?"

"Hmm." she thought. Her Triforce started glowing as she too searched for Link. _"Link… My brother… Please come back home. Or at least let me find you."_ Like in Darian's case, she got no answer. A moment later, however, both of their Triforces glowed brighter as Link showed them his location wordlessly.

"The Bridge of Eldin…" Zelda whispered. She whipped around in horror, noticing Darian was frozen in fear. "Oh no. Darian go find him. NOW! Before he does something rash!"

"Quick Zelda! Get on my back! We'll find him together!" Darian responded.

"No! You must be quick! Go! I'll follow you on a horse!"

"But-!"

"Darian the more time we lose here, the more likely it is that we could lose Link!" Darian had nothing else to counter with.

"Be safe Zel. Let's get the Hero back." With that, Darian flew out the window towards the Eldin Province, while Zelda ran to the courtyard to grab her horse. She burst out of the castle with no escorts, speeding to find Link.

Darian was a ways ahead of Zelda (flying really did have its upsides), when he spotted a lone figure on the bridge. Recognizing the green tunic, the Guardian flew in and landed on the bridge roughly ten meters away and approached him slowly.

"Link…" Darian stopped and waited for a response. Getting no such luxury, he edged closer to the Hero. "Link talk to me. Please. How am I supposed to help you when you don't tell me anything…?"

Said Hero turned and faced him slowly. "You would not understand. All I did was for naught."

"That's not true at all."

"Really now?" Link laughed bitterly. "If it's not true, then why do I feel that it is? Why does the precious Twilight Princess want to get away from me so badly? It must have been something I have done, otherwise she would not feel this way. She's broken my heart once already, but I would have thought she changed once we rescued her. Turns out I was wrong. On so many levels."

"Link you're wrong. I can see it in her eyes. She loves you deeply. She really does."

"She's got a funny way of showing it."

"Don't ask me to figure out how a girl's mind works, my friend. I am not the right person to tell you. Maybe Zelda could?" Darian asked, trying to cheer Link up. Said Hero smiled slightly, causing Darian to relax.

"Maybe." He became serious again. "I don't understand her Dari. I really don't. Why would she do something like this…?"

"You have to ask her that yourself. She never properly explained it to me either. If she tells anyone, she would tell you."

"Right, that's why she came to you first," Link spat.

"Hey, I never asked for her to come to me for advice, especially with this kind of thing. Honestly I thought she would keep it to herself. Anyway…" Darian paused for a moment. "That doesn't even matter. I'm pretty sure she hates me now because I called her an idiot for not listening."

"Hmpf. I bet you're the one that influenced her to decide to part ways."

"On the contrary Link. I told her to take you with her back to the Twilight and make you king if she was going to uphold her duties to her people. This way she gets the people and she gets you. I mean, that's what Zelda and I were planning to do."

"But what will become of the Night Realm? Ionin is-"

"Gone, I know." Darian finished. "But remember that Drimani is also my younger brother. He can lead the Night Realm to the age of peace and prosperity, just like I envisioned for the Light and Twilight Realms, if we do manage to take down Caedin."

"That makes sense except there is one problem…" Link trailed off.

"And that is…?"

"Midna doesn't want me to return with her."

"If she doesn't then she is an idiot for not realizing that is the best thing for both of you."

"Tell that to her," Link responded darkly.

"Link I already tried… I think you must."

"No way! Not unless she apologizes to me for not coming to me and consulting me about the matter first!"

"You both are impossible!" Darian said exasperatedly. "Stubborn to no end!" Link's face was impassive at first, however he eventually chuckled.

"You know us well, I see."

"You got that right." Darian answered. "We should get back. Zelda may want a word with you. She was extremely upset for the stunt you just pulled. She may have thought you were going to do something stupid…"

"Like jump the Bridge of Eldin? I was never going to." Link assured. "I was just taking time to think. This place is quiet and serene, and allows me to focus on my thoughts." Darian visibly relaxed.

"What were you going to do after this if we hadn't come for you?"

"I would have gone exploring someplace where no one had ever dared to travel. Maybe in lands outside of Hyrule." Link answered while getting to his feet. Darian did the same.

"I see. Well personally I'm glad we found you then. You may not realize it, but our destiny depends on what we do."

"Yes, although I don't like it." Darian chuckled at the statement.

"Neither do I, much. But what can we do?"

"You can start by surrendering to me." Darian whipped around to look past Link, realizing the voice was not his. There, at the end of the Bridge, stood a figure wearing all too familiar robes and helmet.

"Well hello Zant." Darian said coldly. "I would have thought you were trapped in the Twilight Realm, or were plotting for an invasion. So you being here and alone rather surprises me."

"Well well, this is certainly an _unexpected_ surprise," Zant sneered. "I was hopeful to catch the Hero by himself, and yet you interfered."

"That's what I do best! Interfering with others' business. That has always been my job back in the Night Realm as a diplomat, and here I help others. What can I say?" Darian taunted. Link noticed something was off.

"Wait a moment. How were you planning to catch me ALONE?" he said quietly, glaring at Zant.

"Wouldn't you like to know Hero?" he responded. Darian too was starting to become suspicious.

"Now that I think about it, Link has a point. How were you able to notice that he was alone?"

"Let's just say that I was here the whole time!" Zant laughed at the shocked expressions on the Hero's and Guardian's faces. Darian turned to Link and started communicating through the Triforce.

"_How is this possible? We didn't let him through the portal!"_

"_I don't know,"_ Link answered. _"But if he can freely move back and forth, he could be analyzing Drimani's battle strategies and plan a counter for them."_

"_I haven't even thought of that! In that case we need to double our defenses when we get back and alert Drimani of this issue immediately."_

"_That won't be too much of a problem hopefully. Still, one issue remains. How did he know exactly where I was going?"_

"_I agree, something bigger is happening here…"_ After hearing Darian's answer, Link turned back to Zant.

"I will ask you again. How did you know where to find me?" Zant shrugged.

"Simple. I followed you here." Darian frowned.

"Yes but how did you know Link was going to exit the castle alone?"

"Let's just say that I waited for the right time to catch one of you alone. I knew I would have to be patient, but soon I was going to be rewarded. And I was right!" Link and Darian looked at each other in horror. _He's been here the entire time!_

"Son of a -!" Darian started before Link cut him off.

"Curse you Zant. For every soldier you may have hurt, I will repay it in double the amount of cuts on your body!" he growled, unsheathing the Master Sword. Zant simply stood and cackled.

"Be careful Hero. I said I offered you a chance to surrender and come quietly. Don't make me destroy you."

"If you actually think we would surrender to you, you are gravely mistaken." Darian said dangerously, while pulling out his whip and shield.

"I've learned many more skills since we last fought Zant. I won't be easy to take down." Link added.

"Good! Then you both will die, bravely, here and now! And then no one shall oppose my Master in his ultimate quest!" he responded before launching a series of spells at the two friends.

Darian raised his shield and called upon the Triforce's power. "_Shilien Ordem!" _A dark blue barrier erupted in front of the two Heroes, absorbing the spells Zant had launched at them, leaving them untouched. Zant growled in frustration.

"Hmpf. It seems you have gotten more powerful indeed," he hissed.

"I simply don't have time for this nonsense," Darian answered. "I would love to play with you, but we have more important business to attend to."

"Don't you dare mock me!" Zant screeched. "You will pay for those words!" With that, he ran at them and started launching more powerful spells, only to be blocked by Darian's barrier without effort. Said Guardian turned to Link.

"I think we should start going on the offensive for a bit. Try to get behind him."

"Will do. Oh boy, Zant won't know what hit him!" Link smirked. "Put up the barrier again, I have a plan."

By then, Zant had reached the middle of the Bridge and stopped attacking them with magic. "Well what are you waiting for? Attack me!"

"Now why would we do that?" Link taunted. "Weren't you supposed to kill us? We haven't even broken a sweat!"

That did the trick. Zant roared with fury and launched a frenzy of bolts, once again blocked by Darian's barrier. When it dissipated, however, only Darian stood behind it. He was too late to react as the Hero of Light and Twilight shouted a spell.

"_Boleda Maro!"_ The bolt of fire nailed Zant directly in the back, sending him straight at Darian who launched his whip, shouting _"Domeno Aren!"_ The Darkwhip glowed dark blue with magic as it smacked Zant hard and sent him flying off the edge of the bridge. As he disappeared into the chasm, Darian walked slowly towards Link.

"That was a nice move my friend. Zant didn't know what hit him until it was too late."

"Hold on. I don't think we're finished just yet." Link answered, pulling on the Fused Shadow. He was right as Zant floated so he was level with them.

"I must admit you both became much more powerful than I had expected. But no more! Feel my Master's power!" Without warning, he launched large black bolts of magic. Darian barely had time to erect his barrier before the spells collided. Although the barrier was doing its job protecting them, Link noticed Darian was starting to become fatigued.

"Link, I can't defend these attacks forever. It seems that these spells are extremely powerful, coming from Darkness itself."

"I can sense that." Link answered. Indeed, he felt evil, cold energy radiating from the black spells. "Then we should start dodging and launching our own counterattacks." Without another word, Darian let the barrier shatter and took flight while Link took out his bow and began firing arrows. He quickly realized Zant was moving far too quickly for many of his arrows to make contact, and any that did reach him were deflected by a dark aura encasing his body. Darian was having similar trouble as his whip would do nothing more than send Zant flying backwards from the impact. Meanwhile they had to keep on their toes and dodge Zant's bolts of Dark magic.

"_Darian! At this rate we'll never be able to properly attack him!"_ Link called through the Triforce.

"_So what do you propose we do? All we are doing is forcing him backwards and farther away from us!"_

"_That's the point! He is fighting us with his ranged attacks just as we are!"_

"_Looks like I'm going to have to bring out the daggers again. Luckily he doesn't know about that style."_ Darian then hooked the whip back on his belt.

"So you finally see the true extent of my powers!" Zant jeered. He was shocked when Darian flew straight at him, brandishing his duel daggers.

"We already have. So we're adjusting to it," Darian responded, slicing Zant across his left arm. With a grunt of pain, Zant teleported and appeared behind Link. Fortunately, the Hero's Triforce reacted and he managed to dodge the spells Zant threw at him before Darian caught up to him and engaged him in close combat again. This time, Zant was ready and brought out his twin scimitars. The two were locked in a ferocious battle, both dodging and blocking the other's strikes.

Link, not wanting to be left out of the action, decided to use the power of his Triforce and Fused Shadow. With a leap off the Bridge of Eldin, Link flew to where his friend and foe were engaged in battle and managed to catch Zant off guard again. With a swipe of the Sacred Blade, he left another cut on Zant's back. He warped again and looked at the two of them in distaste.

"Well Link! Nice of you to join me! I was beginning to worry!" Darian joked.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world my friend!" Link responded with a laugh. Neither of them saw the bolt of black magic heading straight for them until it was too late. Link shut his eyes and braced himself for impact.

It didn't come. Instead, he heard a yell and the rush of wind.

Darian had thrown himself in front of the Hero and took the attack head on. The force of the curse threw him down and he landed on the bridge with a crash. Link was forced not to look down at his friend as Zant launched more bolts of magic. Link began to warp left and right, attempting to dodge the spells, and did not notice Zant warping directly behind him. Link barely raised his shield before a spell collided with it, sending him flying backwards. Regaining his balance, he noticed Zant had warped behind him again. Before another bolt could be launched, a golden barrier separated the two combatants. Looking down, Link was astonished at what he saw.

Darian was back on his feet. His Triforce hand had a golden aura around it and his emerald iris was now also gold. His long black hair had gold streaks and his once black wings were streaked with white and glowing. Zant looked at him in horror and Link knew exactly why. Darian had inexplicably gotten more powerful. Link could feel the warm energy radiating from his friend, a warning to all foes.

"You will not attack my friends. Especially from behind. That is dishonorable and irks me to no end." he said dangerously. Zant responded by throwing bolts of black magic at the Guardian, who promptly manipulated the golden barrier to absorb the attacks.

"How can you block my attacks so easily!" Zant screeched.

"Simple! You are not powerful enough to take me on." Darian responded calmly, his Triforce glowing silver.

Link felt a rush of energy as a voice called to him in a gentle but powerful feminine voice. "_My child, do not be afraid to use the ultimate power of the Triforce of Courage. You were given its power for good reason. You are pure of heart, and full of courage. Use its power…"_

"_Who are you?" _Link asked.

"_You shall know in due time Hero. Now! Team up with the Guardian and rid the world of this menace!"_

Link let the power of the Triforce of Courage flow through him and all of his injuries and fatigue immediately disappeared. His Master Sword began to glow an ethereal white and his Triforce, like Darian's, was glowing silver. His eyes were glowing gold and his tunic also changed from its regular green hue to a royal gold. He found that flying did not consume any energy and realized the Goddess Farore herself just spoke to him and lent him her true power. Darian nodded an affirmative.

"_Alright my friend. It seems that Farore and Mudora lent us their power. Let's use it and save the Realms from Zant and Caedin!"_ Darian called through the Triforce before taking flight again and rushing at Zant with newfound speed. Zant barely had time to register what was going on before Darian slashed a deep cut into his right arm.

"You fools! You cannot defeat me! I have the power of my Master!" the usurper king yelled before his body was surrounded by a dark aura. His previous injuries were healed completely in the next few seconds, much to the Heroes' chagrin.

"Well this is getting rather annoying," Link muttered. He readied the Master Sword and rushed at Zant, who brought up his blades in defense. Sparks flew as the blades collided. This time, Link gained the upper hand as he forced Zant downward toward the bridge. Darian simply watched as the two combatants crashed into the bridge and created a cloud of dust. When it settled, he noted that Zant was clearly on the defensive with Link attacking with quick and controlled strikes. Before long, the usurper had several cuts on his body. Before Link could completely finish him, Zant had warped again, although this time he fell to his knees and looked exhausted.

"Well Zant. Think you had enough?" Darian asked.

Zant growled in frustration. This was not supposed to be happening. These two kids have awakened the true power of their Triforces! "I will not stop until I have utterly crushed you!" He yelled.

"Now that's enough." Immediately, Link and Darian felt a wave of darkness roll over the Bridge. It was cold and made them feel as if they were looking into a long black tunnel that had no end. A figure had appeared behind Zant and was staring at the Heroes with red eyes and a small smile. He was slightly taller than Link was, had long white hair, and was wearing black armor.

"I should have guessed the Goddesses would awaken the power within the chosen. You caught me by surprise! If I had been a moment later, you two would have succeeded in killing my apprentice!"

"Caedin…" Link growled.

Caedin grinned. "Of course Hero. Here I am, in the flesh. Ahh how good it feels to be out of my seal."

"Where is my brother?" Darian demanded.

"Patience and I will tell you. I have noticed you conversed with the Sages. What they tell you is true. Your brother is dead and I killed him. I was forced to in order to continue with my plans. He was a thorn in my side…"

"Yeah and I hope he gave you Hell before he went down!" Darian spat.

"Such hostility!" Caedin answered, raising his hands in mock defense. "Seriously, I only wanted to have a nice chat with you both! Is that so much to ask?"

"If your plans include destroying the world then yes. It is," Link answered.

"Hmm I was hopeful I would not have to fight today, but…" He stopped as his hands were glowing black with dark energy.

"Link get ready!" Darian said. "Zant only received a fraction of Caedin's power. We can't run at him head on!"

"You can't attack me regardless," Caedin countered and launched two bolts of black magic. Both of them found their marks and sent Link and Darian flying to the other end of the bridge. Even as they looked up, he was creating a portal that led to what they could only guess was the Night Realm. "Enough. Like I said, we shall fight another time. For now, I only came to pick up my apprentice." With that he and Zant walked through the portal and disappeared.

Link was the first to recover. He stood up slowly, groaning in pain as his power receded. Within a few moments, he fell to one knee and gasped for air. _That spell really took a lot out of me. Caedin is extremely powerful, no doubt. If Farore hadn't helped me, I'd be a goner._ A voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Link!" He turned to see Zelda had gotten off her horse and was running as fast as she could to get to him. She stopped right in front of him and then lightly smacked him across the face.

"Ouch! Seriously Zellie, now's not a good time…" Link complained.

"Don't you 'Zellie' me! You ran off! WITHOUT FIRST TALKING TO ME!" Zelda screamed, her eyes wet with tears.

"Alright alright! I'm sorry!" Link said desperately. "I just thought you guys wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't what? Want you here?" Zelda smacked him again. "LINK! How can you say that? That hurts!"

"That's what I've been trying to say…" Darian cut in weakly. His hair was purely black again and his wings returned to their normal black hue. His right iris was back to an emerald green. He stood up slowly. "But I guess Midna really hurt him for him to say this kind of thing." He slowly limped over to where Link and Zelda were before collapsing on his knees. "Damn. Caedin really did us in with that spell…"

"That… Was Caedin?" Zelda asked with fear in her voice.

"Yes." Link answered. "And I take it you're feeling very weak right now?"

"Yes, especially since my true powers faded. Looks like yours did too."

"Yes. Although I wish that weren't true. I wouldn't feel this sluggish if I still had Farore helping me."

"Link there's only so much Farore and Mudora can do for us. For us to defeat Caedin we need Nayru and Din to help us. It's no wonder he overwhelmed us so quickly…"

"You're right… I just feel so helpless."

"Don't," Zelda comforted. "The both of you have done something I have never seen or done before. You got your Goddesses to lend you their strength. You became one with your Triforces. I could never hope to…" Darian cut her off.

"Never say you can never do this. It is possible. You just witnessed us doing so. You have to believe in yourself and place your trust in Nayru. Although I believe they will only grant us the ultimate power in extreme cases. Against Zant and Caedin for example. I doubt we need to use that much energy on regular creatures." He stood up once more and this time managed to stay up. "Alright maybe we should head back to the castle. Personally, I know I need rest. That fight took a lot out of me."

"Yeah, no kidding," Link smirked slightly.

"And don't you dare leave like that again, you hear me wolf-boy?" Zelda eyed Link beadily.

"Hey! What did I tell you? Only Midna can call me that!" Link stopped. "Midna… What am I supposed to do…?"

"We'll help you with that issue, don't worry." Darian reassured. With that, the Princess, the Hero and the Guardian began their journey back to the castle.

* * *

><p>Thanks for all the views and a special thanks to the reviewers! As usual opinions are welcome!<p> 


	13. All Part of the Plan

Hey guys! LoneRider here. First off I must apologize for taking so long to come up with the next chapter. I was too busy with college work and finals approaching, so I had absolutely no time to write. Secondly, writer's block is the worst! Finally when I can sit down and write, I have no idea how to start the chapter and go with it!

Anyways, to jog your memories, Link and Darian were fighting Zant when Caedin finally shows up! He attacks the duo with one spell, knocking them out of the fight. He then takes Zant and leaves.

Enough of my rambling, enjoy the chapter!

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><p>Chapter 13: All Part of the Plan<p>

Drimani was in the middle of going over some plans with the Medeus, Ashei, and Rusl when a soldier ran into the room, out of breath. He stood up and gently acknowledged him to speak.

"My sincerest apologies General, Captains, but we have a bit of a situation," the soldier panted.

"Woah, take it easy there soldier," Drimani smiled. "Take a deep breath and then talk."

"I think you need to see this for yourself General…" The soldier answered. "It involves your brother and…"

"Darian?" Drimani cut him off. "Why didn't you tell me? Lead me there at once! Medeus, Ashei, Rusl, the meeting is over, take the rest of the day and rest up." After the three nodded their heads, the General followed the soldier to the front of the gates. He gasped at the sight. "What in Goddesses name happened?"

"Drimani…" Darian said weakly. "Zant… He was here the entire time… Then Caedin came… Attacked us…" He and Link were supporting each other while Zelda was looking out for them. Drimani looked at him and Link in horror; the two looked extremely weak, as if they fought a war all by themselves.

"It is true…" Link supplied. "Zant was looking for a way to ambush me when I left the castle. Darian intervened and we were fighting Zant on equal terms until Caedin arrived. One spell did this to us…"

"One spell did this?" he asked incredulously. When Zelda nodded, he frowned. "Well this certainly puts a damper on my mood. Things were going so smoothly too…"

"Drimani, there's one other problem…" Darian trailed off. When Drimani did not speak, he continued. "Zant was here the whole time, and we have reason to believe he was listening to your plans and battle strategies."

Drimani sat in thought for a time, and then motioned for the others to follow him to his study. "Can one of you get Midna please? I have much to discuss with you all." Zelda hurried out of the room, and he turned to face Darian and Link. "So gentlemen, you both like you fought a war by yourselves. What kind of spell did Caedin hit you with?"

"We don't know…" Link said. "All we know is that it was made of pure darkness and struck us with such force it took us out."

"One spell Link… One spell," Darian said, clearly looking troubled. "Even with the Goddesses helping us, we weren't able to put up much of a fight. We need the Bearer of Power, and fast."

"But how can we-?" Link was cut off as Zelda entered the room, Midna close behind. Darian and Link froze when she entered, and the three entered a staring contest, not daring to break eye contact but not daring to speak either. Zelda immediately noticed this and threw her hands into the air.

"Oh you three are such children!" she cried exasperatedly. Midna crossed her arms angrily while Link and Darian looked away. "Seriously! Let this argument go already! Midna you are an idiot for wanting to leave without Link. Link and Darian however, you have to forgive Midna! You saw what could have happened to you both after Caedin attacked!" Midna turned to look at the pair in horror. _Caedin attacked them?_ Darian was the first to speak up.

"Midna… It's not me that you have to talk to. This isn't really my problem, nor am I to judge. After this meeting is over…" He turned to Link. "You two need to talk and resolve everything." Link grudgingly nodded his head while Midna said nothing. Drimani chose this moment to intervene.

"Umm, if you guys are done, I'd like to talk to you all." When they all made themselves comfortable, he continued. "Well it seems that our friend Zant was here the entire time spying on us, and trying to get some Intel for the upcoming battle in the Twilight Realm." Midna gasped.

"Would that mean that we have to change everything? The plans for battle?" she questioned. All but Darian were surprised by the grin beginning to unfold on Drimani's face.

"Oh you mean the plans that he was SUPPOSED to see in the first place?" Drimani challenged light-heartedly.

"What do you mean by that?" Zelda asked suspiciously.

"And now my friends, you get to see the true nature of Drimani's brilliance in war!" Darian chuckled. Drimani looked down in embarrassment.

"Dari you need to stop doing that…" All five burst into laughter at that. When things calmed down, Drimani spoke up again. "Alright. Well I figured Zant was either going to spy on us himself or send a spy into our ranks. Therefore I devised false plans of our strategy in order for them to see. Even our own troops and captains do not know of my true plans. I reveal those on the day we march into battle to surprise the enemy. This is after I survey their defenses and devise the course of action. I like to take things on the fly, and at the same time, there would not be many casualties on our side." Zelda, Link, and Midna all were staring at him with their mouths open while Darian was grinning from ear to ear.

"And there you have it!" Darian laughed. "That is the way Drimani leads the armies back home. And for good reason! The previous generals all lost and suffered heavy casualties due to their strategizing, which usually fails."

"May the Goddesses let their souls be at peace," Drimani murmured. Taking a breath he continued. "Now then. Ladies. Gentlemen. The troops shall be ready for attack within one week. We shall go on ahead and scout the area to see what kind of defense Zant has set up. When all is ready, we shall attack and take back the Twilight Realm for our Twilight Princess."

Midna smiled weakly. "Thanks. I really must thank you guys for doing this… I thought about going back and fighting Zant myself but I guess I'll have to rely on you more than I thought…" she trailed off.

Zelda put an arm around Midna. "It's no shame in asking us for help dear Midna. You must realize that we are all involved in this war, and in what better way than to fight alongside one another to protect our realms?" Midna looked at her and laughed slightly.

"You may be right Zelda…"

"I am right," Zelda responded, showing her Triforce. "I am right ALL the time." This earned another bout of laughter from the others. "Well then dinner shall be ready within two hours. I believe two of our number need to discuss things," Zelda finished, pointedly looking at Link and Midna, who shifted uncomfortably in their seats. When she gave them a glare, they rose and left, leaving her with Darian and Drimani.

"Zellie, remind me to not get on your bad side," Darian said quietly, earning him a mischievous grin from the Light Princess.

"Oh I haven't forgotten about your pranks on me yet," she replied, causing Darian to tense slightly and Drimani to twitch.

* * *

><p>Link was quietly walking back to his room, Midna following him. Neither said a word to each other as they approached the door, and even after they walked into his room not a word was spoken. Link was staring out of the window while Midna was sitting on his bed, watching him intently. Finally he broke the silence.<p>

"When were you going to tell me?" he asked. It was not directed at her in a rude way, but his voice was sad.

"I…" Midna started. "I was going to tell you after we had defeated Caedin and restored peace to the realms. I didn't think you would have wanted to leave here. Your friends, your family…" She stopped as Link held up a hand.

"What about asking me about my opinion for a change? It wouldn't kill you."

"I just thought…"

"You thought wrong okay?" Link said sadly. "Unless you don't want me around anymore, and in that case I'll stop bothering you. But at least tell me." He turned to look out of the window again, and Midna instantly felt a pang of guilt. She realized she should have told him sooner or even more, asked for his opinion on the whole thing. Even more, she knew she was wrong about the whole thing. If she wasn't so stubborn… The Twilight Princess began to tear up as she rose from the bed and walked over to him.

"Link… I'm sorry." Midna murmured while placing a hand on Link's shoulder for an instant. She then turned to walk out of the room when he spoke.

"Are you actually saying I'm right?" Midna turned to see Link giving a small smile at her. She ran at him and hugged him tightly while crying on his shoulders. "Midna, take it easy. I forgive you. That is if you will allow me to come with you to the Twilight after this is all over."

"Always Hero. I have no doubts anymore," Midna responded, still holding on to Link while he hugged her back. They stayed like this for only Goddesses knew, until a knock on the door broke them out of their state. They turned to see Darian smiling at them.

"Everything has been worked out, I presume?" he asked.

"I believe so my friend," Link answered, while Midna simply smiled.

"Good. Zelda told me to come tell you both that dinner is ready."

"Actually, Dari, can you tell Zelda that we will just go into town later? We still have to catch up on a few things." Midna spoke up. Link looked at her, surprised. "What wolf-boy? You need to tell me of your encounter with Caedin."

"Ah, yes. Okay I will. Dari, don't worry about us, go on down. I know Zellie is expecting you." Link smiled.

"Alrighty, just don't starve on me," Darian joked before leaving the room. Once he closed the door, Midna turned to Link and gave him a scrutinizing look. Link noticed her ruby eyes were on him and he sighed.

"You really want to know, don't you?"

"Yes. And don't cut corners. Tell me everything." Midna answered, not letting up on Link in the slightest. Link smirked.

"You expect me to tell you everything when you kept secrets from me?" he challenged light-heartedly. Midna slapped his shoulder, clearly hurt.

"I'm sorry! What more do you want?" she said softly, turning away.

"Oh don't be like that. I said I forgave you. And I was only joking. Anyways, where to begin…" Link rubbed the back of his head before launching into the story, from when he stormed away from the castle. Midna listened intently, trying to not only gauge Zant's strength, but also Caedin's.

"… And Darian suddenly was granted full power from the Goddess Mudora!" Link was saying.

Midna was thoroughly confused. "You lost me just now wolfy. How did that happen, exactly?"

"I have no idea… I do not understand it myself. Apparently Mudora granted Darian full use of her power and became much more powerful, even altering his appearance. Farore, too, granted me her full power as well, both Goddesses wanting us to take down Zant before he grew too powerful." Midna stared at him, wide-eyed. _Full power of the Goddesses? How can this be…? _She wondered.

Link continued. "We were able to corner Zant, but that was when Caedin came…" He trailed off, remembering full well how that encounter began. "Midna you wouldn't believe it. When he appeared, the air all around us grew extremely cold and we felt like we were looking into a tunnel that had no end in sight. It got that bad." The Hero shivered once, knowing how powerful Caedin really was. "Caedin came to pick Zant up and take him back to wherever he was going. Darian and I did not stand a chance, even with Farore and Mudora assisting us. One single spell from Caedin knocked us out…" He finished, while noticing Midna was looking at him in horror.

"Link… One spell?" She was too shocked to continue talking.

"Yes. One spell…" Link answered. Noticing Midna was still scared, he tried to brighten things up. "Midna, you shouldn't worry. Dari and I survived. We're fine now."

Midna smacked him on the shoulder again. "I shouldn't worry? I SHOULDN'T WORRY? You just fought a battle for your lives, and some nut almost KILLED you, and you're SAYING I SHOULDN'T WORRY?" The Twilight Princess was practically screaming, tears forming once again. She could not comprehend why the Hero she longed to be with would ever tell her to stop worrying. In her mind, although she would admit it to very few people, possibly only Link, Midna could never stop worrying about him. "I almost lose you to a madman, especially after we said words… Fine, _I _said words I should never have said, and all you can say is 'stop worrying'?" Link stopped her from saying anything else with a tender kiss on her lips. Midna could not, or rather WOULD not, fight it as she kissed him back, trying to convey her point to him through her gesture.

After some time, they pulled away from each other, and Link spoke up. "Midna, I didn't want you to worry about me too much, especially regarding something that already happened. Personally, I'm glad we did fight Caedin." Midna glowered at him through her tears, but Link did not back off. "I'm glad because we got a chance to see just how powerful he really is. And also, we realized Zant could be defeated rather easily when we become one with the Triforce." Midna realized what he was saying was true and let up on her glare.

"Fine… You're right. It was all for the best. But please don't run off like that again. You were lucky Dari came at the time he did." At this, Link laughed.

"Yes, Dari always intervenes at the right moments… Well for us anyways, our enemies must be sick of him by now. Besides, I won't run off again… Zelda kind of smacked me when she got to where we were." Midna giggled.

"Well good! Because if you do that again, I will personally smack you senseless!" This earned another laugh from Link, and Midna herself laughed for a time.

"Very well Your Highness," he sniggered. He then formulated an idea. "Hey Midna… Remember how we were supposed to prank the other royal couple?" The Twilight Princess put on an impish grin.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

"I shall tell you while we eat dinner. Personally I'm starving. Let's go into town."

"Awwwh but I'm too lazy!" Midna whined.

"You're getting up or I'm carrying you. Let's go!" Link persisted, tugging on her arms. She finally relented and allowed herself to be pulled to a standing position.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, The Hero and Twilight Princess were finishing their dinner and had a few rounds to drink at Telma's, although the drinks were considerably weaker this time.<p>

"Can you imagine the look on Zelda's face? That would be priceless!" Midna was laughing.

"I think we would give the poor Princess a heart attack with the prank… I say we still do it!" Link responded in kind. "So you know of the plan right? Can you actually perform the right spell?"

"Wolfy don't doubt my spells." Midna growled playfully.

Link put up his hands in mock surrender. "No no. You're right. I shouldn't doubt. After all what could go wrong? Only a bunch of things, right?" He joked. Midna cackled with laughter. It was clear they were both slightly intoxicated, but not nearly as badly as last time.

"Don't worry! Everything is just fine! We should be able to pull this one off!"

"Alright then," Link answered. "Come on. Let's go back to the castle before the others start wondering where we are."

"Such party poopers," Midna complained, sending Link into another fit of laughter.

"You shouldn't say that about Dari, you know! We were the ones who pranked you both, remember?" Midna once again smacked his arm.

"I haven't forgotten." She said, baring her teeth. Link chuckled.

"Alright let's do this. Tomorrow morning, early in the morning, right?"

"That's the plan!" Midna finished.

* * *

><p>"Where could they be? It's way past dark!"<p>

"Zelda, relax! They can take care of themselves! Besides, you're not their mother."

Zelda and Darian were relaxing after dinner and it has been a few hours since Link and Midna left to get dinner. Zelda, predictably, was starting to get worried, while Darian completely trusted Link to not get himself hurt. They were caught off guard by familiar laughter, and both went to the door.

"Ahh, Link, Midna. Welcome back!" Darian smiled. Link clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good to be back. It's only been… Uhh… 2 hours!" This drew laughter from both the Night Guardian and Twilight Princess, while the Light Princess looked disapprovingly at the pair.

"It's late. You should not have been so reckless…"

"Relax Zelda! We were just getting dinner!" Midna giggled.

"And another round of drinks, I presume?" Zelda responded, pursing her lips.

"Darian, you've got such a prude of a girlfriend…" Link said, causing Midna to howl with laughter and Darian to smirk slightly.

"Hey hey, that's my girl you're talking about," he said, but he still had a smile on his face. "If you don't mind me asking, what was so funny that made you guys laugh so hard?"

"Oh we were just reminiscing about old times and old adventures!" Midna said. "Link, remember the time that you thought you defeated that huge spider? Arma… Ar… What was that spider's name again?"

Link facepalmed. "Oh Goddesses… Armagohma…"

Darian smirked. "What happened?"

Midna was trying so hard not to laugh. "Well Link bashed Armahoga.. Argoh… Whatever! The spider thingy! He smashed it with the huge statue thing and it exploded. Link thought he defeated it, and he did the fancy sword thing where he twirled it before putting it back in its sheath, but then looked and realized he didn't defeat it yet!"

"Hey! To be fair that thing exploded! How was I supposed to know it would explode only so I would see a huge eyeball staring at me with about 50 spiders surrounding it?" At this, even Zelda laughed.

"I can't believe you did that!" Darian said, rolling around laughing and Link couldn't hold it anymore and he too burst into laughter. Once they all settled down, Zelda looked at the others.

"Well I don't know about you guys, but we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, so I should head to bed."

"Agreed. Night guys," Darian said before he and Zelda retreated to the room. Link and Midna hurried back to their own room and closed the door.

"I thought we were caught for sure!" Link said. "Nice save!"

"Thanks wolf-boy!" Midna replied. "We too should sleep. We have a prank to pull in the morning!"

"Agreed!"

* * *

><p>The following morning dawned bright and sunny. Everything was still quiet as people were just starting to wake up. Drimani had just cleaned himself up and opened the door when he was scared senseless. He opened his mouth to alert the others when one of the two figures he saw made a shushing sound and pointed to the other who flashed a thumbs up. Drimani caught on and smirked. Oh boy, this was going to be a good day.<p>

Meanwhile, the two figures crept to Darian's bedroom where they knew he and the princess were supposed to be sleeping. One of them turned to the other.

"Are you ready?" The other only grunted an affirmative. That was when it all began.

Darian and Zelda were suddenly rudely awakened by very loud screaming. "AAAHHH! HELP! HELP! DARKNUT! I NEED HELP NOW! HE'S GOT ME TRAPPED! GUYS HELP!" The door to the room flew open. Midna had her back facing the room and was shooting bolts at the second figure, a hulking monster in black armor with a helmet that covered its entire face. It was grunting and slowly advancing on Midna, whose spells seemed to have no effect on the armor.

Darian fell off the edge of the bed in fright and cursed at the fact that he left his whip on the other side of the room. Zelda, meanwhile, clutched at her heart for a few moments. Pandemonium reigned as neither of them knew what to do as the monster slowly lifting up a large claymore, intent on cutting Midna down.

"NOOOO! KILL ME INSTEAD!" Darian yelled and launched himself at the Darknut, only to be punched back onto the bed. Zelda tried launching her light arrows, but they merely glanced off the armor.

As the two became more and more frightened, being out of options, the Darknut suddenly bent over and made a deep chuckling sound, which soon turned into all out laughter. They looked at Midna, who was clutching her chest and rolling on the floor laughing. Eventually the spell subsided and instead of looking at a massive Darknut, Darian and Zelda were staring at none other than Link, who was gasping for air due to his prolonged laughter. Drimani poked his head in the room and ended up laughing himself before leaving the room to get breakfast.

Darian's shocked face turned into one of pretend rage. "LINK I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" he yelled, but when Link took off, Darian chased after him, laughing like a maniac. Meanwhile Zelda's reaction was not so pleasant. She looked at Midna dangerously.

"Midna I CANNOT believe you just did that! Prepare yourself!" She said in a deadly voice, readying another Light Arrow. Midna herself took off running, screaming at the top of her lungs, but having fun nonetheless, Zelda chasing after her.

A random soldier who woke up and stepped out into the hallway saw the Hero being chased by the Night Guardian. He rubbed his eyes, not believing what he saw, only to to watch the Twilight Princess running for her life, being chased by the Light Princess who was aiming an arrow at her back. The poor soldier thought he was dreaming or worse, having hallucinations, when a third sight (Drimani carrying breakfast back to his study, staring nonchalantly at the scene) made him lose consciousness. Drimani sighed. _Poor soldier_, he thought before setting the breakfast down and dragging the soldier back to his room.

* * *

><p>Link and Midna strike! That was a nice chapter to finish, once I got going. I hope to have the following chapter up soon! R&amp;R please! And thanks to all the faithful who have stuck by the story!<p>

-LoneRider547


	14. New Faces and Promotions

Hey guys, LoneRider here. Ahhh, so after experiencing quite the writer's block and was busy once again with college work, I managed to write this chapter. Again I apologize for taking so long to write it, but hey, rather late than never!

Enough of me rambling, on to Chapter 14!

* * *

><p>Chapter 14: New Faces and Promotions<p>

"Link… Impressive. I didn't think you would be able to pull off the bad guy so easily."

"I didn't think it would work. I thought you guys were ready with weapons and were going to attack back!"

Link and Darian were discussing this over breakfast while the ladies ate in silence. Darian had eventually caught up to Link and they began wrestling until Drimani broke them apart, alerting them of the other soldiers who would see them in this state. However, Midna was clipped by one of Zelda's Light Arrows and thus the Twilight Princess was nursing her shoulder. Darian turned to Zelda.

"Zellie, you do realize your Light Arrows could hurt others, right? I know you were angry, but…" Zelda cut him off.

"You are actually siding with them on this? Link punched you hard while in the Darknut disguise!"

"It didn't really hurt though. The impact sent me flying but there was no pain. Almost like a cushioned punch!" Darian responded.

"I tried not to hurt anyone, because that would make a bad prank. So I had Midna fit my gloves and claymore with a protective soft barrier so that the impact would not hurt." Link added. "Either way, sorry for scaring you both."

Darian laughed. "Hey it was all a good-natured prank so no big deal." Zelda gave him a dirty look, but he continued anyway. "Come on Zelda, it was funny! I bet our reactions were priceless!" Midna laughed at his remark but stopped when Zelda stared her down.

"I bet you want another Light Arrow in you? I'm not fussy about where I fire. Could be your other shoulder, could be your legs, even your-"

"OKAY! Anyone want seconds?" Link asked in order to diffuse the situation. Drimani chose this moment to walk into the room and chuckled at the scene.

"Well I can see some people still are not very happy at what happened this morning? Good job guys! That scared me too until I realized it was you two!" Link and Midna laughed again while Zelda glared at Drimani.

"You KNEW about this? And didn't bother to warn us?" Zelda asked shrilly.

"It was a prank! Prank rules state…" Zelda cut him off.

"PRANK RULES MY FOOT!" She launched another Light Arrow that barely missed Drimani. He looked at her in shock. Meanwhile Link and Midna did not dare to say anything out loud but decided to converse their thoughts.

"_Is she on her monthly or something? I really feel bad if we upset her this much."_

"_Maybe so, but it didn't quite warrant a Light Arrow in my shoulder…"_

Darian cut in on their thoughts. _"Oh I definitely agree… But she did say that now wasn't a good time last night, so maybe that's what she was referring to…"_ All three of them looked at Drimani as he regained his thoughts.

"Zelda, please don't do that. I'm a friend, not a foe. Save that for Zant and Caedin. Anyways I came here to tell you that we should oversee the final days of training and then scout the Twilight Palace to prepare for our invasion." Zelda called off her magic and looked apologetically at her General.

"Please forgive me. I'm extremely stressed out and pranking me does not help one bit. What did you have in mind in terms of the training sessions?"

"I was going to have you oversee the ranged fighters, place Darian with the Gorons and the highly skilled defenders, and then have Link and Midna floating around with the swordsmen. I already have the captains checking up on everyone, but it never hurts to have you all come around and give them a word of advice or encouragement."

"I can agree to that. Would you like me to spar with anyone?" Link asked.

"Only if they wish, and please don't cut their heads off." Drimani warned as the others laughed. Midna chose this time to interject.

"Well there are a few soldiers who I'd like to totally freak out." The others knew right away that she referred to the snobby guards who gave them all a rough time at the Hyrule Castle gates.

"No Midna. None of that. Not yet anyways." Midna pouted but accepted his answer.

* * *

><p>"Okay men, take ten minutes and then come back for another run-through of the exercises. After that, you will choose partners and then spar. Understood?"<p>

"Yes sir!" The soldiers answered in unison. While they were putting down their weapons and shields, they took note of a certain young man in a green tunic approaching and began whispering amongst themselves.

"I thought the captain told you to take a break? Shouldn't you be getting water rather than simply stare at me? I know I'm irresistible but please, I'm starting to feel uncomfortable!" Link asked teasingly. Most of the soldiers laughed and left to grab water. The few who didn't simply continued to talk amongst themselves but took heed of Link's advice. Said Hero wondered over to their commanding officer.

"How's everything shaping up here Rusl?"

"Well, I must say other than the few soldiers who cause trouble they are progressing very nicely!" Rusl smiled and stretched. "How are you? I have not seen you around lately."

"I've been doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that. The usual." When Link noticed Rusl giving him an inquisitive stare, he relented. "I've been training with the others. Unfortunately we could not exactly train here as our regimen is much more dangerous."

"I see. As long as you yourself are okay…"

"Why wouldn't I be? I'm aching for another adventure! As far as traveling to the Twilight and Night Realms goes, I can't wait! Well… Besides all the fighting of course." Both he and Rusl laughed at this before the latter continued.

"Link… The evil that Zelda spoke of. This madman… What exactly is he?" Link's expression darkened.

"Caedin… As far as I'm concerned, he is a power-hungry man who cares very little for his followers. At least that was the vibe I got from him. At the same time… He is extremely powerful…" He shuddered at the memory of being felled with a single spell. Rusl took note of Link's stress and put an arm on his shoulder.

"I have faith Link. As do the others. And you won't have to fight him alone. I'm sure Midna, Zelda, Darian, and Drimani will all help you. As will I."

"I know… But I also fear losing them. ANY of them. And that goes for you too. Rusl you can't die out there. You are the father I never had. I'm serious." Rusl held up a hand and simply smiled.

"If that is my fate, I will accept it. However, I will do my best to stay alive. I would rather not leave Uli and Colin alone."

"And you won't. You will survive this war. We all will." Link said determinedly. "I'm sure of that."

"I hope you're right Link. It would be nice to live to tell the tale." The men chuckled, but immediately turned their attention to a group of soldiers. They seemed to be picking on a younger soldier, who was clearly troubled. Link and Rusl looked at each other and then made their way toward the group. They could start hearing the conversation.

"What makes you think someone as little as you could be of ANY help to the army? You would only be slowing us down." One of the soldiers was saying.

"Please… I don't want any trouble." the lone soldier replied quietly, while hanging his head down.

"Yeah. That's right. No trouble. You don't have parents, your uncle disowned you, and your girlfriend left you. You have nothing. You pathetic worm." A third man said, poking the loner in the chest. "Why don't you just leave already? The Queen would be embarrassed to have you in her ranks." Rusl chose this time to intervene.

"Do we have a problem here gentlemen?" The last of the soldiers hastily answered.

"Oh! N-nothing at all Captain!"

"Good. Because I would like a word with you three. Now." The three men looked for a way out, but faltered under Rusl's stern gaze. They followed him as he walked away. Link took this opportunity to walk over to the lone soldier, who was still hanging his head down.

"Are you alright?" The soldier looked at him in a clearly depressed manner.

"Well I could be better. All those things those people said are true. I have almost nothing left…" He trailed off while looking away. Link sighed before putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Come with me." He said gently. The soldier followed Link, although timidly. "Don't be shy, I don't bite." At this, the man relaxed slightly. "So tell me, what is your name?"

"… Roland…"

"Ahh, Roland. A good name. So tell me Roland, what brought you here? Why did you sign up with the army?"

Roland sat in thought before answering. "You heard those guys. My parents are dead, my uncle disowned me, and my girlfriend left me. Actually I caught her with someone else, but that's not the point. I thought I would be able to, well, do something good with my life. I thought that by joining the army, I would do the Queen and Hyrule good."

"I have no doubt you will." Link replied. "But I would also like for you to think if this is right for YOU. Not just for others. Do what is right for you."

"Can I ask you something Hero?" Link waved him off.

"Please. Just Link. I don't like the honorifics very much. It makes me feel old. I'm only eighteen after all."

"Wait… You did all those things at such a young age? Wow, I'm not even eighteen yet and I don't think I would ever be able to do those things the Queen said you did… Which brings me to my question… Why… Why do you fight?"

"I fight for what I believe is right. I fight for my family and friends. I fight for justice. I fight for the Queen. I fight… For someone who once needed me and who pushed me to be my best…"

"You must have a great relationship with everyone back home. Tell me. What are your parents like?" Link looked down but decided to answer anyways. After all, Roland was in the same predicament when it came to his family.

"I don't remember my parents. My father died in battle and my mother died after taking me to my hometown of Ordon. I was raised by Captain Rusl and his wife Uli. I consider Rusl to be a father to me. The father I never had."

"I… Didn't know." Roland said slowly. _Wow. Who knew the Hero didn't know his real parents either. Maybe I can do good for Hyrule yet._ "I'm sorry about your parents."

"Don't be. I think about them every so often, but I know they are with me wherever I go. Just as yours are with you wherever you go. I believe you'll do good in this world. You just have to believe in yourself." At this point the two men had arrived at a secluded area, away from prying eyes. "Now then Roland. Show me what you can do. Unsheathe your sword and spar with me."

"Are… Are you sure?" Roland asked in a small voice, slowly raising his blade.

"Of course! If I didn't want to spar with you, I wouldn't have asked." Link responded. "And don't hold back. There's no reason to here. We're alone."

"Alright, if you say so." Roland said, a little more confidently now. "Here I come!" And they clashed blades.

* * *

><p>Back at defense training, Captain Medeus had also called for a break. He laid back and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind before the next session. However, he could not shake the feeling that he was being watched. That suspicion was confirmed as someone approached him. Medeus immediately stood up and brushed himself off.<p>

"Oh! Sir Darian! I didn't expect you here!" he said quickly. Darian smirked.

"Napping on the job I see Medeus? I might just have to tell the General."

"No no! That won't be necessary! It won't happen again!" Medeus stopped short as Darian laughed.

"Don't be so serious! I know you were all on break so I came down here to check up on you all, see how you are faring."

Medeus visibly relaxed. "Oh everything is going great here! All the Gorons and the soldiers get along like they're a family!"

"Excellent! That's exactly what I want to hear. No fighting amongst ourselves!" Medeus was about to answer when he noticed Darian's hand was on the hilt of one of his daggers. He immediately tensed up and looked at Darian suspiciously.

"Sir Darian, what are you-?" He was cut off as he narrowly dodged a strike from Darian. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"Relax Medeus! You're way too stressed!" Darian took another swing and Medeus only just managed to parry his strike.

"Well being the Queen's guard takes a lot out of you! Why are you attacking me?!"

"What? You don't want to have a friendly sparring match?" Darian asked with a small smile on his face.

"You looked like you wanted to cut me down!" Medeus aimed a strike for Darian.

"Oh hardly! I was just testing your reflexes! And you passed with flying colors." Darian easily blocked the attack.

"I don't need you to tell me that Sir Darian!" Medeus growled.

"Oh knock it off with the honorifics Medeus! I'm just trying to have fun!"

"By attacking me out of the blue?!"

"Well what are you going to do about it?" Darian was having so much fun at this point, and he knew he had Medeus beat. The Captain realized the Night Guardian only wanted to have fun, but he had a score to settle.

"Well Darian… I am going to cut you to ribbons." Darian smirked as he readied himself.

"Try me Medeus."

"En Garde!"

* * *

><p>"Everything alright there Ashei?"<p>

"That's right… Calm, and steady, then fire. Good shot! You've improved a lot yeah?" Ashei turned around and was so surprised she stumbled on her own quiver. Her visitor laughed gently.

"What? Do I repulse you so much?" Zelda asked teasingly.

"N-no! I'm sorry Your Majesty! You caught me by surprise!" Zelda laughed not unkindly.

"Ashei calm down. It is quite alright. How is everyone doing? Any improvements?"

"Uhhh yeah. All of my troops are doing great with the ranged fighting. I'm quite pleasantly surprised that they managed to progress like this in such a short time!"

"That's great Ashei. I'm proud of all of you and I thank you for making the effort to train them in such a short time. I know it is not ideal but it's only a matter of time before Zant takes the fight to us. I would rather that not happen again." She shuddered, remembering the last time Zant invaded Hyrule. The result was catastrophic.

"I know I know. Don't worry. We have trained as hard as we could to help you, yeah. I have no doubt everything will end up okay."

"I hope so too Ashei. I hope so too. So, anyone here who needs a little help? I'd like to see what I can do. Maybe offer words of wisdom or encouragement?"

"Well Zelda, there's Myra."

"Myra? Tell me more."

"She came here because she wanted to leave her old life behind. She hunted for a long time and was the one who brought food home for her family. However, her parents died due to a mysterious illness and her two brothers died in the last war. Feeling that she had nothing left at home, she wanted to do something new. However, even though she is an excellent archer, she has had trouble with her self confidence. I suspect it may have something to do with a few others criticizing her for joining the ranks and feeling as though she doesn't belong here, yeah." Zelda felt a pang of guilt at the mention of Myra's two brothers. It was at this time that her Triforce lit up.

"_It seems that she's not the only one in this predicament."_

"_Link?"_

"_The one and only. I'm here sparring with another soldier who also lost everything. He is quite a talented swordsman, but he lacked confidence due to being picked on by a few other soldiers who also thought he would only slow us down."_

"_That is horrible!" _Zelda exclaimed through the Triforce. _"That's not fair at all! Judging them by their cover!" _

"_Oh I agree." _came Link's response. _"Rusl is giving those soldiers a good talking to right now. I'm thinking of appointing young Roland as Rusl's second in command. He seems to know what he is doing and when he isn't timid, he makes very wise decisions."_

"_That sounds great Link. I'll have a talk with Myra and see if that helps her out."_

"_A great idea as always dear sister." _Link teased. As he blocked another blow from Roland, he decided to focus more. _"Whoops! I almost got struck by Roland's blade. I need to concentrate more. Later Zellie."_ Zelda smirked before turning to Ashei, who was staring intently at her.

"Something happen Zelda?"

"Only Link being his usual self. Anyways, I think I will talk to Myra right now. Where is she?"

"She should be over there somewhere… There, over at a target. And it seems that she has a few other archers crowding around her, yeah."

"Then let's approach cautiously and see if they are the ones who are causing her trouble." The Light Princess and Captain approached the area slowly, trying to listen in on their conversation, when they saw one of the archers throw a rock in Myra's direction, which distracted her enough that she missed her target.

"Hahahaha. Another miss. What a loser," one of the archers, a human, said obnoxiously.

"Seems to me like our little lady friend was quite… _Distracted_." a Zoran archer, the one who threw the rock, added. Ashei chose this time to intervene.

"That's enough. I knew for a while now that she was being picked on, and now I know that it was you three who did so. All of you, come with me now." The archers grumbled but followed her, leaving Myra alone and looking at the target, Zelda a little ways behind her. Myra sighed before picking her bow back up and nocking an arrow. Zelda watched while the girl took a deep breath before firing the arrow. This one was true to its target and hit it dead center. However, she put the bow down and sat down, no doubt in thought. Zelda decided now would be a good time to make her presence known. She walked over to Myra and sat down next to her.

"Is everything alright?" she asked gently. Myra was so absorbed in her thoughts that she jumped at Zelda's voice. She took one look at Zelda and was quickly on her knees.

"Your Majesty! I didn't see you coming! I apologize!" _I can't believe I was so stupid to not notice the Princess behind me. Oh no, what is she going to think of me being so rude?_ Her thoughts were cut short as a gentle, cool wave brushed her mind, taking away most of her anxiety. She looked to Zelda, who was smiling.

"No need to apologize. Your name is Myra, am I correct?"

"… Yes."

"No need to be shy. I may be Princess, but honestly it makes me feel old to be called by my title. I'm not much older than you are." Myra looked at Zelda in bewilderment, wondering why Zelda would want to talk to her out of all people. Didn't she have something else to do? Zelda continued. "I have heard a lot about you Myra. Ashei tells me you are great with the bow and arrow, and I must agree with her."

Myra's face grew red before she responded a weak "Thank you Princess." Zelda laughed.

"You're welcome Miss Myra." Said archer looked at the Light Princess in shock. First the Princess comes to talk to her out of all people, and now she has a sense of humor? What is going on?

"W-What brings you here Princess?"

"I wanted to see how everyone was doing. Contrary to what some others believe, I actually care about my people." Myra couldn't help it; she giggled. "See? That's what I was looking for. You seem way too kind and strong to be deterred by those other archers." Myra smiled.

"Thank you Princess. Honestly I came here because I had nothing left. My parents both passed away due to illness and my two brothers were killed in war. I wanted to honor them, and I wanted to write a new chapter in my life." At this point she was serious again.

"My condolences go out to you Myra. To have to deal with all of that in your short life and yet for you to be so strong is most impressive. I believe you will succeed here in the ranks. You'll do quite well I'm sure. Just don't let the others get to you. You are special, never forget that. Now show me what you can do. And don't hold back. I heard you were the one who hunted for food."

"I did pride myself in that Your Majesty. If you insist, I will show you… What I can do."

"Please do," Zelda responded. Myra nocked another arrow and quickly let it loose, splitting her previous arrow. Zelda clapped.

"Very nicely done." she smiled. Myra, in response decided to step back up to the target.

"I have not perfected this yet, but I have been training in private to try to do so."

"What have you not perfected?" Myra nocked two arrows on the same bow and took in a deep breath, and finally let the arrows loose. One of them found the center of the target again, while the other hit the target toward the outside. Zelda smirked.

"Getting ahead of ourselves are we?" she teased. Myra grew alarmed and was about to apologize but Zelda cut her off. "I'm only joking. That was a wonderful shot. I'm very impressed."

"Thank you Princess." Myra answered shyly.

"You are quite welcome. I think I will have a talk with Captain Ashei, and put in a few words. I have no doubt that she could use a lieutenant in her ranks." The archer looked like she was about to faint.

"R-Really? A l-lieutenant?"

"Yes, I think you have what it takes. I hope Ashei will agree with me on this one, even though I think she will."

"Agree with you about what?" Myra and Zelda turned around to see Ashei walking back over.

"Oh! Captain Ashei, you're back! What did you say to those archers?" Zelda asked.

"I reprimanded them. Next time it happens, I will report them to the General. Anyways, agree with you about what?"

"Well, after seeing Myra firing some arrows and conversing with her, I have no doubt she would do well as an officer. What do you say we give her the rank of a lieutenant in your ranks?"

"A lieutenant? Hmm, I don't see why not, yeah. She has been impressive, even after all the verbal abuse she has taken."

"She also fired two arrows at once and both found their targets." Zelda added. Myra was becoming more and more embarrassed by the minute. Ashei stared at her incredulously.

"Can you do that again Myra?" she asked.

"I- I- I can try," Myra stammered. Zelda and Ashei both laughed kindly.

"Think of this as your exam," Ashei teased. Zelda shot her a playful glare before turning to Myra.

"Don't be afraid, Myra. Just do what you did when I was here." Myra smiled and mouthed a "thank-you" before nocking her two arrows. She took a deep breath and fired again. The two arrows, although not hitting the center, both hit just outside on the target. Ashei's jaw dropped at the performance. _Wow! I have not seen her do that before. Impressive!_

"Very impressive, yeah. When did you work on this? I haven't seen you try this before."

"I trained in the evening hours when everyone else went to bed, Captain," Myra admitted. Ashei stared at her for a moment and then delivered her verdict.

"Myra… I would like to offer you the position of Lieutenant in the archery legion. Do you accept?" Myra could hardly contain herself.

"Y-yes! Yes yes yes yes! Thank you so much Captain, Princess! I promise I won't let you down!"

"I'm sure you will do admirably," Zelda responded with a smile and a hint of amusement.

"Settle down, yeah. I'm still your commanding officer," Ashei said, but Myra and Zelda both knew she was teasing.

"Okay. I apologize. I'm just excited. Thank you!"

* * *

><p>"Wow, great sparring Roland. I am very impressed. I must say that being ambidextrous gives you a nice advantage against almost anybody in combat. You do not have as much power in your strikes but more than make up for that with your speed."<p>

"Thank you Link. I'm honored to have sparred with the great Hero. Thank you for offering me advice on improving my techniques. I shall put them to good use."

"I have no doubt you will." Link smiled and put a hand on Roland's shoulder. "Come on. Let's find Captain Rusl. I would like a brief word with him."

"About what?" The men turned around to see Rusl standing there with a smirk on his face. "I saw the sparring session. Link my boy you are getting rusty." Link scowled in response.

"I am not rusty!" Rusl burst into laughter.

"Come now I was only joking. Anyways what did you want to talk to me about?"

"It's about Roland actually. I think he would do well as your lieutenant. He has superb fighting style and I believe he can have a position of authority. What do you say?" Roland was shocked.

"Me? A lieutenant? I- I cannot possibly-…"

"Yes you can," Rusl interrupted him. "This is an excellent idea Link. Roland would you like to have the position as lieutenant in my legion?"

"I- I don't know what to say…" Roland stammered.

"You can say yes," Link pointed out with a grin.

"Very well. Yes, I accept the position. Thank you so much for believing in me."

"You will do an excellent job I'm sure. Anyways I should report back to the others. Captain, Lieutenant, I bid you both farewell for now."

"Bye, and thanks again Link." Roland said quietly. Rusl smiled at him.

"He thinks very highly of you, you know. For him to tell you of his past and to suggest that you become a lieutenant means he believes in you. Don't lose that faith. Come on. Let's head back to the others."

"Yes Captain."

* * *

><p>Roland was eating his dinner three hours later when he noticed a female soldier sitting by herself. <em>I wonder why she is eating there all alone. Maybe I can talk to her…<em> He stopped as she met his eyes. He looked away immediately, his face becoming slightly red. _Damn it. Why did I let her know that I was looking at her?_ He was brought out of his thoughts as he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"You know, it is rather rude to stare at someone and look away when she looks back," the girl said. Roland grew slightly hot under the collar, but relaxed when she giggled and sat down next to him.

"I couldn't resist. I saw you eating by yourself and was about to walk over and ask if I could eat with you. My name is Roland. And you are?"

"Myra," she said simply.

"Well Myra it certainly is a pleasure to meet you." Roland smiled. "What brings you to the military?" Myra looked down slightly, and Roland found himself feeling bad he asked the question in the first place. "Please forgive me if it is a touchy subject. I was only curious. Forget I asked."

"No no. It is okay, you had no way of knowing." Myra answered. "You seem kind enough. Not like those few who picked on me."

"Who would pick on you? Why would they pick on you?" Roland asked, a hint of anger evident in his voice.

Myra shrugged sadly. "I guess… Those who think women shouldn't join the army. Or they pick on the people who had it hardest in their lives. There are people like that."

"Yeah I would agree with you on that. I have the same issue."

"Really? Well then I guess we have that in common. I was picked on because first off I'm female and apparently shouldn't be here. They also knew about the hardships I experienced in life, like losing my parents and two brothers, so they thought I was an easy target."

"I'm so sorry," Roland replied empathetically. "I can understand your pain. I lost both of my parents too, my uncle disowned me, and my girlfriend cheated on me. I came here looking for a fresh start you know? But apparently one of the soldiers knew who I was, as he was friends with someone who knew my uncle, told a few others, and I guess they felt I was an easy target."

"That's downright disgusting. I can't believe the nerve of these people. I'm sorry."

"Don't feel bad. The same happened to you. No reason for us to sulk about it. Anyways the best thing happened to me today right after they bullied me. Captain Rusl caught them in the act and apparently reprimanded them, and then who shows up but Link himself!"

"What?!" Myra exclaimed.

"Yeah! I know! He sparred with me and I felt so honored to have had him as my opponent. He really did all those things the Princess said he did. He was flawless with the blade!"

"Wow! Very cool! Meanwhile the same kind of thing happened to me!"

"No way!" Things were definitely looking up for Roland.

"Yes! Ashei caught my bullies and gave them a stern talking to as well, and then Princess Zelda showed up and wanted to see me shoot!"

"That's great! Who would have thought that things would look up so nicely for us?" Roland said thoughtfully.

"Exactly what I was thinking too." Myra agreed. They spent the next few minutes in silence and ate together, just happy to have the other's company. Once they finished, someone in a dark blue cloak approached them. They were intimidated by his appearance, and his differently colored irises threw them off, but his smile calmed them slightly.

"And how are we doing on this fine evening?"

"Doing rather well thank you!" Roland responded quickly.

"Same here. It was a good day, if I may say so myself." Myra added.

"That is good to hear. Anyways the General requests the two of you in his office when you are ready. I shall take you to him." the man said kindly. Roland and Myra looked at each other.

"I'm ready when you are," Myra said quietly. Roland nodded his head and the two of them followed the man out. Once they were out of earshot from the rest of the troops, the man spoke again.

"I heard about you two from Sir Link and Princess Zelda. Apparently you, Roland are great with the sword, and you, Myra, are quite proficient with archery."

"How do you know them?" Roland asked. The man grinned before responding.

"The three of us are close friends, of course. Oh! Excuse my manners, I was so focused on you that I did not introduce myself. I am Darian, Night Guardian and the General's older brother, at your service." The two people behind him nearly fainted from shock. "What? Cat got your tongue?" He teased. Roland and Myra immediately relaxed, which made Darian laugh. "Seriously, you don't need to _always_ walk around with a stick up your behind. Relax! I don't bite!" The three of them burst into more laughter before he continued. "It's warm out here. Screw the cloak, you're bound to see me for what I am soon anyways." He took off his cloak and let his wings stretch which made the two behind him widen their eyes and drop their jaws.

"Those look… Awesome!" Roland exclaimed.

"But but but but how?" Myra stuttered.

"I inherited them from my father. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you weren't prepared for that. A lot of people, Link included were taken aback."

"Really? I never thought Link wouldn't expect that." Roland said quietly.

"Yes really." Darian answered. They had just arrived at the door leading to Drimani's office. "Alright we're here. Just relax, the General is very laid back. I wouldn't be surprised if he asks you to call him Drimani." Darian opened the door, and Roland and Myra walked in, Darian closing the door behind him. Drimani looked up from his charts.

"Ahh Darian, thank you for bringing them here. If you don't mind, I would like to talk to them alone." Drimani said quietly.

"No problem. I'll see you later." Darian replied before walking out of the door and shutting it behind him. Roland and Myra did not like the idea of being left alone with the General as they did not know what to expect. Drimani then spoke.

"Hello there Roland, Myra. Please, take a seat." The two did as they were told while Drimani took out some papers, no doubt their files. After doing some reading, he held them up. "Do you know what these are?" he asked.

"Uhh… Our… Our files, Sir?" Roland answered timidly.

"That is correct. And do you know what I think of them?"

"No Sir," Myra responded.

"Well let me tell you now," Drimani began. He took a deep breath before proceeding. "I think files are a waste of time. Records are a waste of time. They do not define a person. Back when I was the Commander of the Night Realm's armies I did not look at people's records. Sure there were plenty of nobles and their kids who signed up to participate in battles, but some of them turned out to be lazy, arrogant, and downright mean. They felt that the ones who were poor and did not have much to their name should do all of the work. However, those people who they thought they were above turned out to be ten times the people they wished they could be. I look for determination, kindness, and a willingness to fight for their people and themselves, not those who merely look for fame."

"That's… I did not know you felt that way General," Roland responded.

"Please, just call me Drimani. I hate titles and honorifics. As I said before, they do not define a person."

"Okay… Drimani. If you do not mind me asking, why did you call us here tonight?" Myra questioned.

"I heard all about today and how Link and Zelda approached you. Those soldiers will not bother you anymore I am sure of that. Ashei and Rusl have notified me and I will be watching them more closely. Anyways, I heard you two were promoted to Lieutenants?"

"Yes, but how did you-?" Roland was cut off.

"As General I must know everything that is going on within the army, and I wanted to congratulate you personally for your hard work and your resolve. I know it is hard losing family and being picked on, but today you showed resilience beyond what most expected."

"Wow… Thank you, Sir!" Myra said gratefully.

"Please stop with the honorifics," Drimani answered. "And you are most welcome. Now as you both know, in two days we shall be invading the Twilight Realm."

"Yes, we know," Roland said.

"Well, I am holding a meeting tomorrow with the Captains, Darian, Link, Midna, and Zelda. I would like you both to attend. We shall all scout the Twilight Realm and the Palace grounds to see what defense Zant has erected. Then we plan our course of attack. The time and place for the meeting is in my office at 1000 hours."

"We shall be there," Myra and Roland answered synchronously.

"Good, and now you both may go. Once again, congratulations." Drimani said with a smile.

"Thank you, and goodnight." Drimani stood up and closed the door after them and sat back down with a smile. _Perfect,_ he thought. _I think this will be easier than I previously imagined. I just hope Caedin doesn't participate in this battle._

* * *

><p>Thank you all for your support throughout my writer's block, I hope you enjoyed this new addition! I hope to have the next chapter up soon! As always, Read and Review!<p>

-LoneRider547


	15. Into the Twilight Realm

Hey all! Thanks for waiting for the latest edition to _Into Eternal Night_. With college exams once again piling up, it took me ages to even begin writing the chapter. Another thing about this chapter is that it is shorter. It is more of a filler for events to come, so I apologize in advance if you find it boring. Don't worry! It will pick up from here!

I'd like to send a big shout-out to my most recent reviewers (Miss Ashlynn, Gekigami9, ajonesyoshi, Water Ripples, and Moonlit Umbreon) for not losing faith in my fic!

Enough with the wait, here is chapter 15!

* * *

><p>Chapter 15: Into the Twilight Realm<p>

"Well tomorrow is the day," Drimani stated. He was back in his office, having the final meeting with the important personnel. Link, Midna, Darian, and Zelda were all seated near him, looking at a map layout of the Twilight Realm Midna provided. The Palace map that Link lent to Drimani was underneath the Realm map. The captains and lieutenants had yet to arrive (it was not 1000 hours yet). Link looked up at the others, a determined look etched on his face.

"Yeah. The day we begin the liberation of the Twilight, and the end for Zant once and for all." Midna hissed at the mention of his name.

"He won't get away with this again!" she growled, making Darian and Zelda flinch but earning a smirk from Link. Drimani raised an eyebrow before going back to the map. He had pinpointed three spots for surveillance.

One was the outcrop where Zelda and Link had waited while Darian completed his recon on their last trip. Another was right at the portal. This was to ensure a safe passage for the soldiers into the Realm and into the city below. The last (and most dangerous) was at the top of the Palace, where the surveillance would be of the whole area. This task was given to Darian, as he was the only one who could confidently fly and camouflage himself.

"Are we all in accordance to the plan?" Drimani asked. "Darian will go to the top of the Palace and communicate with the rest of us from there. Zelda, if you would like, you may go with him as long as he feels comfortable with camouflaging both of you while communicating the defensive layouts."

"I don't have a problem with that." Darian said with a smile. Zelda gave him a slight nod with the corners of her mouth twitching upward.

"Then it's settled. The two of you will survey that area." Drimani took a breath before continuing. "Link, Midna, Rusl, and Roland will survey the area from the rocky outcrop a little ways into the Realm, which appeared to be right outside the illusion barrier. If there are any guards that come dangerously close to the portal, take them out." After receiving thumbs up from Link and Midna, he went on. "We shall then have Medeus, Ashei, and Myra posted at the portal entrance. What I would rather do with that plan is to have Ashei and Myra on the Twilight side of the portal and Medeus on the Light side to protect the entrance in case there are any enemies who cross the portal. Does that sound good to everyone? Speak up or forever hold your peace." He finished, half-jokingly.

"That sounds like a wonderful plan," Zelda answered. "This way, there will not be any unnecessary casualties."

"I don't see any problems with it," Link added. Midna nodded her head with a slight smile.

"It's excellent Dri. I do not, however, believe Zant will send his guards to us. I think he expects us to charge at him first." Darian pointed out.

"I agree," Drimani answered. "But all the same, we should be cautious just in case. You did say he was deranged after all. And he definitely looked it."

"Crazy lunatic," Midna muttered, causing Link to suppress a chuckle. Darian and Zelda both looked over but before either of them could say anything, a knock was heard on the door. Drimani stood up.

"Come in!" he called. At once, the door was opened, revealing Medeus, Rusl, and Ashei at the front, with Roland and Myra behind. They all walked in one by one, and, noticing the royals gathered, started to take a bow. Zelda resisted the urge to face palm while Midna looked slightly uncomfortable. After all, they were not her subjects, so why should they bow? Link nearly burst into laughter before motioning for them to rise. When they did, Drimani cleared his throat.

"I hope you all had a good night's sleep. Now the five of us have discussed our plans regarding the first steps into the Twilight Realm, and this is what I came up with." He proceeded to outline his plans to the three captains and two lieutenants, who paid close attention. Roland and Myra both looked a little crestfallen at first but they shook their heads clear and nodded their heads. They would get to fight close to each other when the real deal started. There was no reason to be down now. Darian, however, noticed them both and turned his attention to Link.

"_Hey, it seems the youngest members here wish to fight close to each other. I think they like each other just a bit."_

"_It doesn't surprise me. They do have a lot in common and both have dark pasts that affected each of them. I'll talk to them."_

"_You do what you must." _Darian finished before the duo turned their attention to Drimani, who was finishing outlining his plans with the group.

"Alright then. Let's have the soldiers turn in early today to prepare them. We leave tomorrow at 1200 hours."

"Of course Sir!" the captains and lieutenants responded.

"What did you call me?" Drimani challenged light-heartedly.

"Of course Drimani!" they tried again.

"Much better!" he laughed. "You are all free to go." As soon as the others left, Link approached him.

"I think I will take my leave too. I have something that I should attend to." Darian smirked in his direction, knowing full well what he intended to do. Midna looked at him questioningly but said nothing. Zelda said nothing although a brush of their minds told Link she too knew what he was doing. Drimani merely nodded before stretching.

* * *

><p>"I really wish we were put together on the scouting mission," Roland said glumly. Myra took his hand gently before speaking.<p>

"Hey at least you get to be with Link! That's cool!" Roland looked up and smiled.

"Yeah you're right! Besides we get to…" he was cut off as a voice rang out.

"Roland! Myra! Can you wait for a minute?" The two turned around to see none other than said Hero. He quickly approached them. "I feel as if you wish to be placed together on the scouting mission. Am I wrong?" He showed them a kind smile when they started stammering and failing to speak coherently. "It's okay. I understand. And I have no doubt you will get to fight alongside each other when the time comes. However, for now I think it is best if you two stay with your captains. They know you best." The two lieutenants began to relax and say their thanks until a certain Twilight Princess popped out from his shadow. Both of them jumped backwards and even Link was mildly surprised.

"Did I hear well? The two lieutenants have a thing for each other?" Midna smirked, her ruby eyes on the pair. At their shocked faces, Link quickly tried to calm them down.

"She's always like this. She constantly picks on me too, as well as the others. Don't worry, she's usually good-natured. USUALLY." he added with a wolfish grin.

"What's that wolf-boy?" Link jumped when she poked him in the sides. "Something about me being the best?"

"I sure as hell didn't say that, nor will I change my mind." Link countered, poking Midna in the stomach. Roland and Myra laughed at their antics until they turned and gave them evil grins. "Now that I think about it… We didn't quite prank them. Shall we start?"

"Ha! I think they deserve it!" Midna answered mischievously. Roland and Myra gulped.

* * *

><p>The time to take the portal to the Twilight Realm came more quickly than most anticipated. Most soldiers did not have much success sleeping as they were too apprehensive of what was to come. They had no idea, after all, of what the Twilight Realm looked like, nor did they know what they were up against.<p>

After Midna and Zelda transported the soldiers to Arbiter's Grounds, some were rather shocked at the power the two Princesses wielded. However they said nothing as Link stepped forward, Master Sword in his hand. As the blade began to glow once again with the power of Light and Shadow, many gasps were audible.

"I, Link, the Hero of Light and Twilight, wish to enter the Twilight Realm!" he called. The next thing they knew, a brilliant flash of light blinded them, and moments later, the portal leading to the Twilight Realm appeared on the black stone.

"Are we all ready to liberate the Twilight?" Drimani called. The crowd was deafening in their yells. To fight for their Princess, Hero, and their comrades was definitely worth it. "Then let's go! Medeus will stay here until all of you pass through the portal, while Myra and Ashei will be on the other side. The others will also protect the portal entry so we are not sabotaged. You all will follow me into the city and we shall make camp on the outskirts of town. All clear?"

"Yes Sir!" came the shouts. As the soldiers looked on, Link, Midna, Zelda, Darian, Roland, Myra, Rusl, and Ashei all entered the portal and disappeared. Roughly five minutes later, Drimani addressed the crowd again. "That was their signal, let's go!" He then ran up to the portal and disappeared as the first of the soldiers marched up the stairs to enter.

* * *

><p>"Well here they come. I wonder if Zant will attack them here and now, or if he will stay put." Zelda said cautiously.<p>

"I'd bank on him sitting tight for now. A lot of his guards are standing outside of all entrances to the palace, and they don't appear to be doing anything. I'm guessing the beasts are inside waiting for us. Eventually we will have to coax him out, but for now we'll simply observe." Darian responded. The Night Guardian and the Light Princess were on the highest tower of the palace, both camouflaged by Darian's spell. Besides the guards, they noticed Ashei and Myra diligently covering the portal, ensuring the soldiers were entering the realm safely. Midna's magic prevented them from turning into spirits, which was definitely a positive. Speaking of the Twilight Princess, she and Link were watching the illusion barrier to prevent any and all enemy beasts from coming close to the portal. Roland and Rusl were with them, also ready for any possible attacks.

"What makes you so sure he won't come out and attack us now?" Zelda asked.

"If I know him well enough, he fears having to deal with the five of us. Honestly, after the last battle, I do believe he will be much more cautious. After all, Link and I did wear him out quickly after the Goddesses lent us their powers. Also, I think he has orders from the big boss himself to stay where he is."

"Ahh, so Caedin is here too?"

"I never said that Zellie. All I stated was he probably ordered Zant to stay put. He wouldn't want his precious 'apprentice' killed before the right moment."

"That makes sense." Zelda sighed and stared out into the realm, appreciating its serene beauty. This time however, thoughts heavily weighed upon her. Even with the Triforce of Wisdom, she was not sure of what the future held in store. Darian noticed her silence and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hey. Don't worry so much Zelda. I think we can take back the Twilight Realm. This shouldn't be too challenging." Darian tried.

"It's not just about taking the Twilight back. It's about what happens afterwards, when we have to venture to the Night Realm, and after its liberation, taking down Caedin. It's just so much to think about."

"I see. I can understand that all of these thoughts have a big effect on you." Darian trailed off, staring at the incoming soldiers. He noticed Ashei directing them toward the city where Drimani was waiting while Myra had her bow strung with an arrow, as if daring enemies to set foot outside the barrier. "But," he continued. "I think we should try to have a calm mind before the battle. A mind clouded by thoughts would only slow us down." He kissed Zelda gently before stretching his wings. Zelda smiled after Darian pulled away.

"Yes, I suppose you're right Dari. We should focus on the task at hand first, and then worry about what is to come when it comes."

"Exactly." Darian smiled again before looking outward to the portal.

* * *

><p>"How are you holding up Midna?" Link asked.<p>

"This seems almost like déjà vu…" she answered quietly.

"Yeah I see what you mean. This is almost exactly like before, when we came to the realm to try to take it back. Only this time, the stakes are much higher."

"I agree my wolf. I agree." She turned to Rusl, who was eyeing them. "What are you looking at old man?" she teased. Said captain chuckled.

"Just watching you two for a bit. You know, I'm finally starting to understand what you went through on your last adventure. This all seems so surreal." Link shook his head slightly in response.

"Oh Rusl, you don't know the half of it. We came and liberated the Twilight Realm, only to figure out Ganondorf was the true enemy and that he was hiding in Hyrule Castle. We're used to this kind of thing by now."

"I see…" Rusl trailed off, a determined look on his face. Not only was he looking to help Link as much as he could, but he wanted to survive and return home to his family. Meanwhile, Roland was shooting glances between Myra and the portal, and the barrier where he knew the enemy would wait.

"Link?" he called.

"Yeah Roland?"

"Do you think the enemy would try to ambush us while we were in the middle of coming out of the portal?"

"At this point, with over half of our soldiers through already, I think he will hang back and wait for us. There shouldn't be anything to worry about. Not yet at least." Roland nodded and turned back to the barrier. He was going to fight with every ounce of strength he had. If he should fall while doing so, then so be it. Link noticed his determination, for he spoke again. "You seem like you're ready for battle, huh?"

"Yeah, I am. I want to do something good for everyone back in Hyrule. Hopefully you all would notice."

Midna chose to speak at this point. "You need not fret. Your hard work is noticed already. Just do us a favor and stay alive?" Roland looked at the Twilight Princess incredulously, not believing that she just told him to survive. All the same, he was extremely grateful for having people like Link and Midna in his life. It made him feel as if he was actually worth more than he gave himself credit for. He smiled at her, who gave a slight wink and an encouraging smile.

* * *

><p><em>Hmm… It seems that the Twilight City is in worse shape than I originally thought. That bastard. He won't get away with this, <em>Drimani thought. He was surveying the city, and was surprised and disgusted to find it torn up. The buildings looked extremely run-down, with windows broken, and doors barely hanging off the hinges. Most of the citizens looked alarmed at finding a being from a different realm in their city, and some wondered if he was a servant to Zant when they noticed soldiers coming up behind him. An older woman stepped up to him and spoke.

"What are you doing here with all of those soldiers? Are you one of them?" she asked, fear evident in her voice. Drimani was taken aback at her words, but did not understand who "them" meant.

"One of who, may I ask?" he questioned pleasantly.

"Zant. Are you with him?"

"Oh!" Drimani nearly facepalmed. He should have realized that walking through the city with an entire army would arouse confusion and worry among the Twili people. He continued however, in the same kind tone he used before. "No. We are actually here to liberate the Twilight from Zant's tyrannical rule. And we will succeed, don't you worry." He smiled, even though he felt slightly nervous. After all, being a general of the Light Realm was different and this was his first battle under Princess Zelda. Fighting alongside her, Link, and Midna gave him some comfort, as he knew they would not judge him. Darian had also told him that he would always be proud of him, as would Ionin. _Ionin… I wish you were here today. I want to make you proud._ The woman noticed him in thought and spoke up.

"I just want you to know that you have our blessing, and if there is anything we should do to help, please let us know." Drimani looked at her and his face now had a look of pure determination.

"No, that is okay. Please stay safe, you and the rest of them. We do not want any unnecessary casualties, and I fear we will lose enough soldiers as it is." The woman gave him a salute, bade him farewell, and walked back to her house.

"Everything alright Sir?" one of the soldiers, a Goron, asked. Drimani turned to him.

"Yes, everything is fine. Come on, we should keep moving to the outskirts of the city." The Goron nodded and walked just behind him, the other troops close by.

* * *

><p>"Come on soldiers! We're almost there! Keep going" Medeus called. As the last few soldiers were walking up the stairs, he turned to look back at the Gerudo Desert. <em>Take a last look, Medeus. It may be a long time before you see the Light Realm again for some time.<em> He felt a small, hot breeze blow on his face, and decided to help the rest of the soldiers through the portal. When he turned, however, there was only one soldier left, and waiting for him.

"Are you coming Captain?" he called. Medeus rushed up the stairs.

"Yes, yes I'm here. Let's go, if you are ready."

"I am when you are." With that the two walked through the portal and into the Twilight Realm.

Little did either of them know that someone was watching them from a shadow.

* * *

><p>Uh-oh! Who was it that was watching them all depart for the Twilight? You'll find out later on if you keep reading and reviewing!<p> 


	16. The Approaching Storm

Hey all! LoneRider here! I have to apologize once again for taking so long to upload a single chapter! I had to figure out where this was going and having writer's block did not help at all! Anyways to recap what happened in Chapter 15, two soldiers, Roland and Myra, were promoted to Lieutenants, and the troops arrived in the Realm of Twilight. Enough with the delays, here is Chapter 16!

* * *

><p>Chapter 16: The Approaching Storm<p>

"Come on men! We're almost there, just a few more minutes!" Drimani called to his soldiers. The Goron who checked up on him before caught up to him once more.

"Sir, may I ask why we are travelling all the way out here?" he asked. The army had marched through the Twilight City and had come to the outskirts and city limits.

"Think about it my good man," Drimani answered. "How do you think the Twili would react to an entire army camping out in their city? Of course, Midna could always address them directly and explain the situation, but either way we would be invading their homes and privacy. I would rather not have them think of us that way. Does that make sense?"

The Goron did not have anything to disagree with. He knew as well as anyone what it was like to have his home on Death Mountain invaded by Zant and his shadow beasts. "No Sir, it all makes sense to me." Drimani smiled at him.

"I'm glad it does. Ah here we are. Let us set camp here." They had reached the very edge of the city and Drimani stopped walking. "Okay everyone! We shall settle down here for tonight, although here I probably won't ever know what time or what part of day it is." This got a few laughs from the soldiers as they set their bags down and began unpacking their food and taking off their armor. "I want ten soldiers from each squad to stand guard in case we get ambushed, but at this point I doubt our enemy will do much for now. Eat up and rest, for in twenty hours, we march into battle!" After a chorus of "Yes Sir!" Drimani, content with the disposition of the soldiers, walked back into the city to search for the others. He did not get far as Medeus approached him.

"Hello Gen- Drimani. This is where we are camping?" the Captain asked.

"Thank you for correcting yourself in time," Drimani teased. "And to answer your question, yes this is the place. Have you heard from any of the others yet? When are they arriving?"

"I have. Ashei, Myra, Rusl, and Roland should all be coming back soon."

"What of the others?"

"I have not heard anything from them," Medeus responded, as the remaining captains and lieutenants came into view. "Drimani, I am appalled at the state of this city. Why would someone wreak complete and utter destruction to such a beautiful place? I saw so many citizens… Twili, as you called them… They were hunched over in fear as if one of us was just going to bite them." Drimani frowned. He had expected these people to be a little frightened, yes, but if what Medeus said was true, defeating Zant and Caedin, and liberating the Twilight became more imperative than ever. "Sir? Drimani, is everything all right?" Drimani snapped out of his thoughts to notice Medeus addressed him again.

"Yes Medeus. I was simply thinking. We need to free these people and help reconstruct this city as soon as possible. I cannot stand to see these people in any more distress." Medeus nodded in agreement as Ashei approached them. Rusl, Myra, and Roland walked by with a small salute to oversee the camp and set up their own tents.

"All these people seem terrified. I'm not sure if it is because of us or because of what those tyrants have done," Ashei remarked, feeling pity for the Twili.

"That is what he just said," Drimani responded, indicating Medeus. "As I told him, we need to finish this and quickly. I would rather not see these people suffer any more than they have to."

"I'd kick those buggers' asses myself, but I'm sure that you all want to have your share of fun, yeah?" Drimani and Medeus both laughed before Medeus spoke.

"That's the spirit! I also feel like I can take them on myself. I may be older, but my body still has a lot of fight left in me!"

"Okay you two, don't get too excited. I have a feeling you may regret your words come tomorrow. Why don't you settle in, eat, and mingle with the rest of the troops? Some of them may never come back home, and it would be nice to give them a good evening." Medeus smiled and quietly took his leave. Ashei, however, remained behind.

"Is there something on your mind Ashei?" Drimani asked gently.

"Yeah, I guess so. Even though I put up a strong front and am willing to fight for what I think is right, a part of me feels nervous. After all, you never know which battle may be your last, yeah." Drimani sighed, knowing where she came from. He had the same thoughts during his battles.

"Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Throughout my time as the commander in the Night Realm, I've always had those thoughts. That's why I've grown to cherish life and do things without regret and do my best to make a difference in the world. To my enemies, I am fearsome. I however fear for my own safety just as much as the safety of my troops. No I'm not afraid of dying," he said hurriedly for Ashei was about to open her mouth. "I'm simply afraid to die with regrets or while failing those I care about."

"Well just make sure you make it out alive. Not only for your troops, but for me, and for your family. Okay?"

"I will do my best Ashei… I will do my best." He wound an arm around her as he kept watch over camp.

* * *

><p>On the top of the tower, Zelda watched as Medeus stepped through the portal and look around. Noticing the rest of the soldiers marching into the city, he followed them. She turned to Darian, who was keeping watch on all the entrances, ready to dispatch any suspicious guard or beast.<p>

"Dari," Zelda spoke softly. Darian did not seem to hear her, so she spoke slightly louder. "Darian." This worked as the Night Guardian turned to her.

"Did you say something?"

"Yes I did. Are you deaf or something?" Zelda laughed. Darian chuckled before responding.

"No. Sorry Zellie, I was just keeping guard. You don't know what the enemy is planning. Drimani always told me to stay on my toes."

"You have a good point there. At least everyone made it into the Twilight okay. I was a little worried the spell Midna cast on the soldiers was not going to work."

"Ah I see. I'm surprised Zelda. I thought you trusted Midna completely." Darian said, frowning slightly.

"Oh don't talk like that! Of course I trust her! I'm just saying there's that small chance a spell could go badly." Zelda said quickly.

"I see. Yeah I guess you're right. No, get that Triforce out of my face. Having the Triforce of Wisdom does NOT make you correct 100% of the time!" But he and Zelda both laughed again. Once they calmed down, Darian spoke again. "Should we be going? I feel like Drimani wishes to see us at the campsite."

"I guess we should head off then." He then contacted Link and Midna.

* * *

><p>"Well that's the last of them. Medeus was the last one through, so I should close the portal," Link said quietly. Midna acknowledged him with a nod. Since her conversation with Link, Rusl, and Roland, she had grown quiet. She wondered what became of her city ever since Zant claimed it once more. Was it going to be in the same state of disarray as it once was before she got it under control, or was it going to be different? She continued to reflect on this until Link sat down beside her once more. Midna put her head on his shoulder and relaxed for a time. No words needed to be said at the moment, both of them happy the other was with them. Their moment was abruptly interrupted when Darian contacted them.<p>

"_Hey you two. With the rest of the army setting up camp, Zelda and I will head off to find Drimani. You guys do what you wish, and we will see you there."_ With that, Darian closed off their connection and all was quiet once more. Link slowly stood up and stretched his muscles.

"You heard the man. I guess we should get going too. Come on, up you get my little imp." Link said lightly. All he got from Midna was a nod as she stood. Link looked oddly at her. "What's up? You seem much quieter than usual."

"It's… Nothing. I'm fine Link." Midna responded, but the Hero could tell she was lying.

"Midna, I know when you're fibbing. Tell me. What's wrong?"

The Twilight Princess sighed. "I just… I don't know what I'm going to find when we walk through the city. Whether Zant left it alone, or if he destroyed it. I don't know how my people are doing physically and emotionally, and I feel like I failed them… _Again_."

"Midna listen to me," Link said gently. "You never EVER failed your people. Get that thought out of your head right now. Zant simply caught you unawares and ambushed you twice. He's a coward to take over this way. But don't put the blame on yourself. You've done nothing wrong. You could not possibly expect this at all!"

"I know… I guess I'll forgive myself once this mess is over." They began walking down the path to the city. "I want nothing more right now than to kick Zant's ass for what he's done. Then we focus our attention on Caedin."

"Once again, Midna, you sound like they are just enemies to cross off our list." He laughed when Midna imitated scratching a name off an imaginary list. As they approached the city both of them gasped at the sight before them. Twili people trudging along slowly and weakly, others huddled together, and others still, always looking behind them, fearing for their lives. Link looked shocked and disturbed, and put a hand on Midna's shoulder. He was not too surprised that she was shaking, in fury and sadness.

"How… How _dare _he?! All my people suffering like this! Why would… I…" Midna could not go on, collapsed to her knees and let out a scream, the likes of which Link only heard in extreme situations. He could only stand by his Princess while she let it all out. Then he looked in the direction of the castle with a truly frightening look. Link turned back to Midna as she collected herself and stood up.

"Midna…" He stopped as she put a hand on his shoulder and looked him square in the eye. As ruby red eyes met ocean blue, he understood exactly what she was thinking, and vice versa. Tomorrow, Zant would pay for his crimes. The imp and her wolf would make sure of that.

"We will deal with him tomorrow," Midna said. Then her eyes softened as she looked back at the city. "For now let's help those in need." They were about to continue into the city when Link noticed a Twili man running up to them.

"Princess! We thought we lost you! It's so good to see you again!" The man bowed, and Midna knelt in front of him and gave him a warm hug.

"Veran… I'm glad you survived…"

"I take it you saw the state of the city and the people," Veran responded sadly. "This is what happened just after Zant retook the throne. He started running us down with those beasts again… His anger was augmented when you and the other prisoner escaped and ordered senseless destruction. Many people died due to his rampage. I can only hope we can put a stop to this madness…" He then looked at Link. "Princess… Who would this be?"

"Oh! Excuse my manners," Link answered before Midna opened her mouth. "I'm Link, and yes I am a Light Dweller. A pleasure," he finished, extending his hand, which Veran took, a little hesitantly. Midna spoke up next.

"You don't have to be afraid of him. He is the one who helped me liberate the Twilight from Zant before. He is the Sacred Beast that is mentioned in the writings." Veran widened his eyes in recognition.

"Oh! Please forgive my hesitance. It's just our people haven't seen a Light Dweller in so long and from what our ancestors have said, Light Dwellers have sent us here."

Link smiled gently. "It's okay, I completely understand. And just know it was a complete accident while banishing the Magicians of Darkness." When Veran tilted his head in confusion, Midna continued for Link.

"There was a full scale war back in ancient times, and the enemy was led by the one we are supposed to be fighting now. He has employed Zant as his 'apprentice' and plans to use him to bring chaos upon the realms. But enough of that now. We brought an army to liberate the Twilight so why don't you join us?"

"Ahhh my Princess, I will join the cause. First though, I would like to ask you and Sir Link here to accompany me into the city. We have set up a resistance of our own. Magicians, healers, and others who are willing to take up arms against these tyrants."

"How many of you are there?" Link asked with interest.

"There are roughly forty-five members. Twenty are skilled enough with magic, fifteen are good with the blade, and the last ten are healers." Link's heart soared at the prospect of having some Twili soldiers join up with their own soldiers from the Light.

"That is perfect Veran. You have done well. Take us to them now please." Midna said with a smile. She then turned to Link. "Contact Darian and tell him to pass on a message to Drimani."

"What should I tell him?"

"Just that we will be running late and we found some reinforcements. And Darian should also be with Drimani when we walk into the camp, as they need to see how to group the Twili soldiers."

"On it." Link turned and promptly left the message to Darian, who said he would talk to the general when he got to the camp.

"_Wait… You're not there yet?" _Link asked.

"_Not quite. We're flying overhead. I really hope that the city is not as bad as it looks from up here,"_ Darian said, sounding agitated.

"_Yeah, it is that bad. Just contact Drimani, we'll be with you shortly."_

"_Alright I shall. See you at the camp, be careful."_

After Link closed the connection, he turned to find Midna and Veran looking at him. "Sorry about that. Darian is not at camp yet. He and Zelda are flying overhead now. He sounded rather… Off. He noticed the city in bad shape and I guess now he wants to bring this to an end as quickly as possible."

"I will agree to that," Veran replied. "If you are finished, I will take you both to our hideout."

"Very well," Midna spoke. As they followed Veran through the city, she began to feel as though they were being watched, and not by a friendly face either. She decided to only speak to Link about this, as his senses were heightened to a good extent.

"_Link… Do you feel like there's something watching us right now?"_ She had hoped she was wrong, but one look at the Hero proved her otherwise. He had his hand on the hilt of his blade and was looking around, concentrated on finding whatever it was that was following them.

"_I feel it to. Like a misplaced cold wind. What do you think it is? Is it someone so powerful he or she is radiating energy from the Palace? Because I felt it since then. I simply chose to ignore it as I thought the enemy forces would stay put. Or has someone decided to follow us?"_

"_Whatever it is, we need to be careful Link. Please… Don't do anything reckless yet."_ At this, Link chuckled.

"_Don't worry about me. I'll only be reckless in actual battle."_ He then turned his attention to Veran. "Hey Veran. Hold up a minute. I'm sensing something, or someone watching us. I don't think it's a good idea that we go straight to your forces just yet."

"It's the dark presence from the Palace, nothing to worry about. Although I can understand your concern. Ahh here we are." They had arrived at a door of a rundown shop. He knocked on the door, and a voice came from the inside.

"The symbol of freedom?"

"A Princess and her Wolf." Veran answered calmly. The door opened, revealing a Twili just as tall as Link. This one looked battle ready, with an intense look in his orange eyes. After Veran and Midna entered, Link looked around one last time before entering the complex. He and the Twili nodded before the man closed the door and bolted it. _They're really not playing around,_ Link thought. Veran led them down a series of hallways before stopping in front of another door. He turned and addressed both Midna and Hero.

"Forgive me Princess, Link. The people may swarm you both, as you are our symbol of hope and freedom."

Midna laughed gently in response. "We're flattered you would think that. We got enough of that in the Light Realm. Alright open this door already, I wish to see these fighters."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Veran muttered before opening the door. Link and Midna widened their eyes at the sight. It was just as Veran said, roughly forty-five Twili, training diligently in the room. From swords to magic to healing, it seems these people were ready to fight for their freedom. "Everyone, I need your attention. We have some guests with us today." The Twili looked up and let out a collective gasp. Before them stood the Princess in all her glory, and beside her was a fierce looking man in a green tunic.

"PRINCESS! You've returned! How did you escape? Where have you been? We heard stories of an army from the Realm of Light…" Midna held up a hand to address the excited crowd, who were immediately silenced.

"First off, let me express my gratitude to you all for what you are doing. I escaped the prison thanks to this rascal here." She gestured to Link, and said Hero looked away, a slight red shade creeping up his face. "And as to where I was, I was assisting the Princess of Light organize an army to liberate the Twilight, and then the realm beyond both Light and Twilight." She then went to explain the situation to the Twili warriors, who sat and listened with great interest. Link offered bits and details wherever appropriate, and when they finished, the Twili had looks of determination on their faces.

"I think we know what we must do. Am I right people?" Veran asked. A resounding cheer came from the people, and he turned to Midna. "We will serve you and the Hero in battle. Feel free to do what you wish in terms of splitting us among the ranks."

"That job does not belong to me, unfortunately. The General will do that job. If we are finished with the plan, then we should report to camp." After a murmur of agreement, Midna contacted Zelda.

"_Where is the camp located? I need to teleport forty-seven people, and I'd rather be accurate in where I warp us." _An image of the camp was shown in response, and Midna took her cue. She concentrated on that spot, and warped everyone away.

* * *

><p>"Hmm, so these are the Twili you mentioned would help us?" Drimani asked.<p>

"That is correct. All forty-five of them. They are much more skilled than they look," Midna responded.

"I have no doubt that is the case," Drimani smiled. He then turned his attention to the Twili. "I thank you for your support in this campaign. We will liberate your Realm, do not worry. As for where to put you…" He then thought for a time before coming up with a solution. "I want the two strongest magic wielders, the three strongest with the blade, and the best healer to step forward please." Once they were assembled (Veran was once of these members), Drimani spoke with authority. "You six are charged with assisting Princess Midna, Sir Link, and whoever else will breach the palace itself. I want you all to be constantly aware of your surroundings and when it comes time to battle Zant, you may either fight him or run back outside and fight the rest of the enemy. Am I understood?" The Twili nodded and moved to set their belongings in camp. Drimani continued speaking to the others. "As for the rest of you, I need you all to split up. I want groups of six magic wielders, four swordsmen, and three healers." Once they had all assembled in their respective groups, Drimani spoke once again. "Excellent, and now I will personally lead you to the Captains. Each group will join a different squadron, and I also would like you all to voice your opinions on how to battle Zant's troops. This army is all about cooperation, mutual respect and understanding, and trust. Trust in your fellow soldiers, as they would trust in you. Let's go." As he led them away, Darian walked up.

"I'm glad there are still Twili able to take up arms against that traitor. Tell me, how were you able to find them?" he asked.

"We lucked out. One of the Twili assisting us in breaching the Palace itself is my senior councilman, Veran. He led us to their little hideout." Midna responded.

"I see. Any help would be nice. That Palace is a freaking gauntlet." Darian laughed. Midna growled at him in response.

"Hey hey. Let's settle down now, shall we?" Drimani had returned with Zelda. "As I told Link and Midna, whoever decides to breach the Palace and look for Zant shall have the six best Twili assist them. I take it you four wish to go?" When they all nodded, he chuckled. "Yes, I expected as much out of you. Then I wish you the best of luck. Let's get some sleep, and tomorrow, we march."

* * *

><p>"It's as you planned. They left no defenses in the Realm of Light. It shall be yours in no time, Master."<p>

"How do you know this?"

"I saw all soldiers fit for battle entering the Mirror of Twilight."

"Is that so? You have done well this day, my dear friend. Soon we shall have all three realms bowing before us. Nothing can stop us now," Caedin chuckled. He then looked at his old friend. "Would you mind traveling to the Twilight and participating in the fight if it seems that our forces should lose? I do not trust my dear 'apprentice' to command such an army to its fullest power."

"I shall do as you say Master. I will leave no one alive."

"Very good. I expect nothing else from you. That is why I have chosen you. Good luck." As his old friend disappeared, Caedin sat back in his chair. _Soon, I will have all the power I seek. The Triforce in its entirety will be mine and the Goddesses themselves will bow before me!_ Caedin laughed one last time before standing up and warping away.

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><p>The battle you have all been waiting for approaches! Now who do you all think is Caedin's "old friend?" You'll find out in the next chapter! As always, read and review! I know I still have loyal followers out there!<p>

~LoneRider547


	17. Battle for Twilight

Hey guys! So after a very busy and heartbreaking semester (I lost a friend to a car accident) and summer classes, I finally was able to sit down and write some more. Please do forgive me for this ridiculous delay. I know some of you might have lost faith in me, and I understand that. I will try to post more often, time-permitting of course. I hope you all still remember even half of this tale, and if not, it's perfectly fine if you go back and read again. Anyways, enough of my sorrowful apologies and rambling, on to the story!

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><p>Chapter 17: Battle for Twilight<p>

Drimani awoke from his slumber roughly seven hours after he bade goodnight (or twilight, as it was never dark in the realm) to his friends. He looked around and noticed a few soldiers were up and alert, keeping watch over camp. He also saw a few soldiers waking up as he did, although in a slightly more sluggish manner. One soldier looked in Drimani's direction and gave a salute, one that he returned.

Using a slight amount of magic, Drimani summoned his armor. He had elected to forgo his usual plate-mail body for a much lighter and comfortable chainmail body, although he still had his black plate legs. He also decided on a forearm-bearing shield, one which would leave his left hand free. This was to enable him to use magic if necessary. Although the shields of the Hylian soldiers bore the mark of the Triforce, Drimani's shield bore the mark of his realm, a white crescent moon with a shooting star bisecting it on the black shield background. Out of respect for Zelda and Hyrule, he modified the design on his shield to include a golden Triforce inside of the crescent. He never once used a helmet, as he preferred to have the ability to move his head around without the added weight. His Darkblade was housed within his scabbard, but unlike Link, he decided for a conventional waist strap. After he donned his armor, he proceeded to patrol the camp, greeting a few soldiers here and there. After about twenty minutes, he decided to wake the rest of the soldiers.

* * *

><p>In their tent, Darian and Zelda were helping each other with their armor. Zelda, knowing she was going to have to be quite quick in the upcoming battle, decided to change into her Sheikah outfit. Having been trained in the ways of the Sheikah by a much younger Impaz, and the fact that her predecessors also had Sheikahn training, she had decided on the new look. Her entire body was lightly and flexibly armored to grant her maneuverability. Her throwing knives were concealed within her armor, but where exactly, she would not give away. The two things she disliked about the outfit was that her eyes changed color from royal violet to red, and that her voice was disguised to that of a young male while her mouth was covered by a scarf. <em>Clearly NOT my thing,<em> she thought.

In the meantime, Darian had been thinking about his choice of armory. In the end he decided to equip himself with the same kind of plate legs Drimani would be wearing, although he modified them slightly; he had shaved a bit of the armor's thickness to make it lighter and thus easier for him to fly. He attached a spiked belt around his waist to hold his whip and to prevent an enemy from detaching it. He had asked Zelda for help on his upper body armor. Once they decided he was to wear a chainmail body similar to Link's, they set to work on severing the backside of the chainmail. After all, having a full chainmail go all the way around his body would pin his wings, and that was something Darian certainly did not want, although Zelda had laughed at the thought. The chainmail body would have straps enhanced by magic to keep it fitted on Darian's frontside and shoulders, but would leave his back bare to accommodate his wings. He decided his Obsidian shield was too heavy for this battle, so he decided to wear armored gauntlets. This would solve two purposes: the first would be to grant Darian the ability to block blows with his wrists and forearms directly. The second was to house his twin battle daggers in case he needed to fight at close range. Link had suggested the gauntlets be modified to have the ability to hold his daggers, and after some magical tweaking from Midna, the gauntlets were ready to go. He finally wore a necklace that bore a similar design to Drimani's shield: a white moon crescent with a golden Triforce within. After donning his armor, Darian turned to Zelda, now known as Sheik, and gave a quick nod. Nothing needed to be said, and they walked out of the tent, just as Drimani began waking the soldiers.

* * *

><p>Over in their own tent, Link and Midna were also dressing themselves for battle. Link had made a few adjustments to his armor. The first was that his chainmail body was strengthened with magical defense, courtesy of Darian. His tunic was darkened and now embroidered with Twili writings (to look "sexier" in Midna's eyes). He was wearing a black cloak with intricate designs, the most prominent being a Triforce with an image of the Sacred Beast within the Mediation Piece. The most shocking change was that Link decided to tinker with his Hylian Shield. With Midna's help, he was able to magically enhance the shield's defensive capabilities and shrink it to the size of his gauntlet, and reappearing at its full size whenever Link wished. It was also redesigned to fit his forearm like Drimani's shield to leave his right hand free to perform simple spells if needed.<p>

Midna was the only one of the five who decided to not wear any armor at all. She felt that the three pieces of the Fused Shadow she still had in her possession were more than enough to lend her defensive help should the need be. She did, however, dress herself in clothes more suited for battle and left her headdress off, allowing her fiery red hair to cascade down to the middle of her back. She turned to Link as he was testing his shield and looking at his reflection through a mirror the Twilight Princess had conjured. She smirked when she saw him beam at himself. Unfortunately for her, the Hero noticed.

"What are you smirking at?" he asked, turning to face her.

"What? Can't I just laugh at my wolf every now and again without him biting my head off?" she answered his question with her own. She laughed when Link made the motion to bite her.

"I will if you don't shut up, my imp." he warned, but then chuckled as he strapped on the Master Sword to his back. He sighed, content with the look, and continued speaking. "Well then, my Twilight Princess, it'll be just like old times. Back into the heat of battle we go. Back to another quest to save the worlds."

"You are forgetting one MAJOR difference," Midna pointed out, while gesturing to her body. "This time, we fight as our TRUE selves. No one can stop us!"

"Heh, I can agree to that Midna. I can agree to that." They shared a brief hug and walked out of their tent, right as Drimani began calling and waking the soldiers.

* * *

><p>"MEN! WOMEN! IT IS TIME! DON YOUR ARMOR, PICK UP YOUR WEAPONS AND GET READY FOR BATTLE!" Drimani yelled. As the soldiers were scrambling to put on their armor, captains, lieutenants, and unranked troops alike, Drimani continued his talk. "I know that this will be one of the most important, if not THE most important battle you all will fight. I also know that some of you may not survive to see the next day, but rest assured and in peace your sacrifice will not be in vain!" As some soldiers cheered, Drimani was pleased to know his troops had his back. As he was about to continue, someone cut him off.<p>

"Oh brother! ANOTHER SPEECH! CAN WE JUST FIGHT ALREADY?!" Some of the troops widened their eyes but laughed when they saw Link was the one who heckled Drimani. "If I have to listen to another word of your yapping I think I'm gonna fall asleep!"

"Will you shut up Hero?" Drimani yelled back. "If you can't stand listening to me PREACHING, then go attack the castle yourself!"

"FINE, then I will!" Link started dramatically strutting toward the palace, eliciting much laugher from the soldiers, Drimani included, only to be pulled back by Midna.

"Woah there! You're not going there by yourself, that's an order! You can go ONLY if I go as well!" And with one look at each other, they pretended to sprint towards the palace. They stopped as another voice called out.

"HOLD IT!" Sheik shouted. "No way you're going without me! If you think tha-" her mouth, even though it was already covered, was muffled more by Darian's glove.

"Go! I'll hold the fort!" he yelled. This made everyone laugh, and once they settled down, Drimani decided to speak again.

"As I was saying before those HOOLIGANS interrupted me…!" More laugher erupted from the crowd, and he waited before they quieted down again. "Ah forget this speech… Archers keep towards the back of the army, and we can go from there! Now let's get this party started!" After a huge cheer from the army, the troops began marching toward the palace.

Link, Midna, Sheik, and Darian marched ahead, with Veran and the Elite Twili group following close behind. Drimani was behind them, leading the army toward the illusion barrier, while Medeus, Ashei, and Rusl, and their lieutenants were each in front of their legions. The legions were all comprised of humans, Zoras, Gorons, and Twili, all ready for battle. The archers, as Drimani ordered, were all toward the back of the legions, ready to fire their arrows at a moment's notice.

As the army approached the plateau, the illusion barrier suddenly vanished. The Shadow Beasts were waiting for the troops in the hundreds, if not thousands. A few of the soldiers paled but were still determined. Drimani held up a hand to stop the soldiers and walked up to the Elite group.

"How do you plan to get into the castle with so many Shadow Beasts?" he asked.

"I plan to cut them all down on my way there," Link responded with a small smile while unsheathing his sword. While Midna and Darian chuckled, Sheik decided to punch his arm lightly.

"Will you be serious for once? You sound like you're about to have the time of your life!" She face-palmed when she saw Link and Darian have identical looks on their faces: one of mischief and anticipation. "Oh for Goddesses' sake, you both will be the end of me." she said with finality. Just then, a roar cut across the realm. They turned to see the first of the Shadow Beasts running towards them.

"Archers! Fire your arrows NOW! Don't let them break through!" Drimani yelled. As if on cue, the arrows rained down on the enemy, ripping into them. With roars of pain, the Beasts crumpled and disintegrated before hitting the ground. Drimani used this moment to shout out another order. "Ashei, quickly have your Gorons form a defensive line in front of the archers, I don't want any more deaths than there should be!"

"You heard the General, go! Quickly!" As the Gorons formed a line in front of the archers, ready to defend them, more Shadow Beasts rushed forward, ready to prey on unsuspecting soldiers. Once again, arrows rained down upon the foe, and once again, they were skewered. Even this small victory was short-lived, as the Shadow Beasts far outnumbered the Liberation Army. Drimani decided to go on the offensive this time.

"Rusl! You and your squadron will meet these foul beings when they decide to attack again. Magic users will be behind the fourth line of troops, providing defensive spells and kill any and all Beasts that get through!" Right on cue, a third set of Shadow Beasts, their number much greater, rushed forward.

"Charge, my friends! And don't look back!" Rusl yelled, running forward and drawing his blade. Roland immediately followed suit, charging right into the fray. Blades met claws as Rusl's legion battled against the Beasts. The soldiers seemed to hold their own well enough as many more Beasts were cut down. Indeed by the time the dust cleared from the first round, only five of Rusl's troops fell, while at least fifty of the enemy were no longer existent. Roland turned to Rusl while preparing for the next wave.

"Captain! Why are the others not proceeding to the Palace? They've had plenty of opportunities until now!" he yelled.

"I haven't even thought of that! Good point Roland! Go and pass the message!" As Roland sprinted forward, four of the Shadow Beasts jumped in front of him, all ready to cut down the young warrior.

"You think you're enough to stop me? I don't think so!" He spun with his blade and lobbed off two heads right off the bat. The other two Beasts slowed down and decided to circle him instead of recklessly rushing him. Roland took his battle stance and waited for them to make their move. And move they did.

One of the Beasts charged headlong toward him, while the other moved slowly toward his exposed backside. Roland made short work of the Beast at his front, but failed to remember the second foe that decided to jump at the opportunity. However, just as it closed in to deal a devastating blow, an arrow embedded itself in the Shadow Beast's head. Roland looked toward the archers, but they all pointed to a lone figure on the rocks. Spinning around, he was greeted by a waving Myra. Waving thanks, he continued running to where the Elite Group was located. Link saw him first and ran towards him.

"What is it Roland? Everything okay?" Link asked.

"Link, sir! You've had plenty of opportunities to breach the palace! What are you waiting around for?!" Roland responded. Link looked taken aback for a moment, then turned to the others.

"You heard the man! Why are we sitting around while the others get all the fun?" Midna smirked in their direction.

"I was just thinking the same thing. I say we go!" she called out to the others.

"I don't need to be told twice!" Darian exclaimed. Spreading his wings, he jumped into the air and extracted his whip, cracking it on the heads of some unsuspecting victims.

"Not this again!" Sheik screamed before pulling out her knives. With a few well-timed throws, at least seven enemies disintegrated into square particles. "You hear me Darian? Stop taking all the fun!" As Link and Midna laughed a bit, Drimani approached them.

"You two better go! I'll hold down the fort here and win on this front. You need to get in there and take out Zant!" Six Shadow Beasts jumped out at them, and Drimani drew his sword. "GO! You're wasting time!"

"You heard him! Let's go!" Midna yelled. Link didn't need to be told twice and charged headlong into a throng of enemies, cutting them down every which way. Midna ran in after him, raining magical hell on those who could not escape her wrath. Veran and the other Twili members followed the two, protecting each other, raining spells, and slicing various foes that came in their way. Not too long afterwards, the small group found themselves in front of the palace walls.

"Alright, I say we bash the doors down and start this party!" Link yelled. And with a mighty slash, the doors were blasted off their hinges… Revealing a number of Shadow Beasts. This time, however, there was a magician controlling the group. He decided to hold back the mindless zombies, and addressed the group.

"If you wish to survive just a little longer, you all better turn around now, puny beings." he said with a hint of arrogance in his voice.

"Puny?!" Midna screeched. "I'LL SHOW YOU PUNY!" Before Midna could fire a spell, Veran put a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll handle this Princess! You go on! Take out that usurper once and for all!" Midna looked at Veran in shock.

"But Veran! This is…!"

"I know who he is Princess," Veran interrupted. "But if there is anyone who can get to him, it is me. You have a duty to the Twilight and everyone here. As true ruler, you must defeat the usurper and claim your rightful throne. Now please go. We will handle this." Midna ran up to him and briefly hugged him.

"Thank you Veran, and please do your best to survive." Midna said gently. Veran smiled in response while readying his magic alongside his Twili companions. After she and the others ran on, he turned to face the magician.

"I never expected you to defect to Zant… My brother."

The magician sneered in response. "What would you know? You simply suck up to Midna instead of doing what is right for this nation!"

"What is right?! Have you gone completely mad? Zant was the WORST thing that happened to this realm and you know it!" Veran's attempts to get to his brother all were for naught as a bolt of magic narrowly missed him.

"Am I just going to listen to your pathetic pleas, or are we going to fight?" the magician taunted.

Veran sighed, knowing he could do nothing else but defeat his own brother in combat. "No. If this is what you really want, then let's go!" Readying his magic, Veran leapt at his brother.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure we should have left him alone like that? I know he is powerful and he has the other Twili fighters with him, but will he be conflicted because he is fighting his own brother?" Link asked. The four made their way deeper into the palace and reached the room that held the lift which would take them up to the throne room.<p>

"I had no choice in the matter," Midna responded. "Once Veran decided it was he who should fight back there, he wasn't going to be dissuaded. And he is right. If anyone should stop his brother, it is him."

"Curse the fates that forced them to cross magic," Sheik said quietly. Link and Midna silently nodded as they boarded the green platform. She then continued speaking. "Darian, you seem quiet. What is wrong?"

Darian had, up to this point, strangely not spoken a word. There was something off to him. He could not pinpoint exactly what it was, but as the lift carried them higher towards the door to the royal hallway, he could sense, with more clarity, an extremely dark presence. He knew it could not be Caedin, for his darkness was much more refined and stable. The darkness he was sensing was more brutal, barbaric and… Childish? Whatever it was, it was beginning to make Darian feel more and more on edge. But he knew at this point it was not his business. His main priority was to aid the others in defeating Zant. He would focus on this dark entity later.

He turned to Sheik to answer her question. "Sorry. I was just considering the finer points of how to engage Zant. With this many of us he does not stand a chance, that much is true. But we must also take caution as to not hit each other accidentally."

"I see your point. Then maybe we should call our shots to make sure the others get out of the way," Link suggested. At this point, they had reached the door to the final hallway. As it opened, he raised his hand toward the hilt of his blade, only to stop as there were no guards or Shadow Beasts in front of the door to the throne room. He turned to the others with a frown. "I thought we would encounter much tighter defenses here. This is certainly strange. Usually Zant hides behind his minions."

"Don't forget, Link," Midna responded. "Zant hasn't really been himself since he was revived by Caedin. He's been attacking more and more recklessly. Remember how he waited until you and Dari were alone before striking? Not that it did him any good, but all the same, I think he is waiting for us and wants us at full strength when fighting us. He probably wants to please his master and by defeating us, he will prove a good apprentice. Bad move," she smirked. The others chuckled and continued toward the door.

Suddenly, Darian gasped and fell to his knee, clutching his hand. The others turned to him in alarm.

"Dari, what's going on? What's wrong?" Sheik asked in alarm. When she looked at his hand, she had to take a step back. His Triforce was rapidly flashing between gold, silver, and what looked to be a pale red. He looked up at her with worry in his eyes.

"Sheik… I've been sensing this presence here in the Twilight for some time now. My Triforce is reacting and warning me that this entity is about to… Oh no… It's heading for… NO! I must go!" He turned to leave when Link grabbed his shoulder.

"Darian, what the hell has gotten into you?! You're never this worried!"

"Link, you have to listen to me. Actually all of you listen to me! I have a feeling Caedin wasn't the only one who burst free of his seal in the Night Realm. This presence I have been sensing has to be someone almost as dark as he is, and I have a feeling it's one of his two right-hand men. You three have to keep going and fight Zant. I'll head back to the battlefield and confront him!" At this, the other three all gasped and then angrily tried to shoot him down.

"Darian are you _crazy_?!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing, going down there alone?!"

"ENOUGH!" roared Darian. "Enough. You three need to trust me on this. As we speak, this thing is heading down toward the battlefield. If I don't go, it will decimate the army and potentially go after Drimani. I can't let that happen. You must understand this. I have a duty to everyone here. And that includes protecting Drimani if need be. I believe in you all. Go defeat Zant and then join me. I promise I'll be okay."

Sheik, Link, and Midna all stood there, flabbergasted at what Darian just said. If it was true that one of Caedin's right-hand men broke free of the seal, then he would be a major problem, one they didn't believe Darian could handle alone. But if they didn't let him go, there was a chance the army would be thoroughly wiped out, and they could not let that happen either. What other choice did they have? Sheik hugged Darian, who returned it shakily.

"Please be careful," she said, lowering her scarf to speak in her true voice. Darian visibly relaxed when hearing Zelda's voice once more. "We shall do our best to deal with Zant quickly. But please don't get in over your head Dari. None of us can afford to lose you."

"I know," Darian answered gently. "I promise you. Everything will be okay. Now go. All of you. May the Goddesses bless us all." Link saluted in response, Midna gave him a thumbs-up, and Sheik stepped away.

"May the Goddesses bless us all," Zelda repeated. Darian then turned and ran back down the hall, opened the door, and flew down the chasm, leaving her, Link, and Midna alone in front of the throne room. Link turned and drew his blade.

"Well, you heard the man," he said with a somewhat heavy heart. "Let's finish this quickly." With a nod, Midna opened the door to the throne room and all three stepped inside. Once the door closed behind them, someone cackled from the throne.

"Well well well, if it isn't The Three Stooges! I was wondering when you would get here!" Zant sneered. "Although I am surprised your Mediator isn't here with you. Has he already given up on you?"

"Go to hell," Link spat. "Darian would never give up on us. And besides, we don't need him to kick your ass. Remember who you are dealing with!" With that, Link rushed Zant with his blade poised to cut the usurper's head off. Unfortunately, Zant was ready and met Link's blade with his scimitar. Before he could counter, however, Link back flipped out of the way and landed just in front of Midna and Sheik, who were also poised to strike. Zant grinned maniacally.

"If that is how you want to play this game, so be it! I WILL have your heads, and then finally, this realm SHALL BE MINE!" he screeched, and the battle began.

* * *

><p><em>I really hope I'm not going to be too late!<em> Darian thought. He sensed the dark presence moving closer and closer to the battlefield and picked up his pace. He burst through a door and saw Veran and his brother still battling it out. It seemed Veran, although losing two of his men, was slowing pushing his brother backwards, while his remaining Twili partners were dealing with the rest of the Shadow Beasts. Darian had no time to stop and offer assistance; he had a much more important issue to deal with. With one glance at Veran, he flew past the battle and out onto the field. What he saw made his heart stop.

"_Ornem Maxima!_" he yelled before charging in…

* * *

><p>Drimani was slicing into the Shadow Beasts as a butterknife would slice butter. All in all, he felt the battle was going in the favor of the Liberation Army. Indeed, while the number of Shadow Beasts was still high, only a few of his troops went down, while the rest were fighting with extreme vigor and sense of pride. He was beginning to wonder if he should run ahead and help the others when he suddenly felt an extremely dark presence close in on the battlefield.<p>

He looked up, and to his horror, a masked being dropped into the center of the field, and with one wave of its hand, blew away half of Medeus' legion. Medeus himself was able to keep his feet planted, but that proved to be his undoing. The being produced a tentacle whip-like arm and managed to connect with Medeus' torso, sending him flying backwards into Ashei, who saw what had happened and had been running over to help. Both of them fell backwards, and Drimani turned just in time to avoid a strike from the masked being. Up close, Drimani was even more horrified. The mask looked like a heart, and yet its eyes were pure evil, and spikes were protruding from its edges. He jumped backwards just to try to put some distance between himself and the being to shout out a new order.

"EVERYONE BACK AWAY FROM HERE! IF YOU MUST CONTINUE FIGHTING, DO SO ELSEWHERE! YOU MUST LEAVE THIS AREA AT ONCE! SCRAMBLE FORMATIONS!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. It did the trick, as all of his troops fled the immediate area. Drimani was momentarily impressed with how quickly the soldiers took his order but then had to quickly duck to avoid another strike from the evil masked figure. _Damn… I can't just keep on avoiding its attacks like this… I need to find a way to counter and get to it._ The being chuckled, but the voice was high pitched and seemed rather childish.

"What's this? A new friend to play with?" it asked.

"Believe me, I'm no friend of yours," Drimani growled, sending a bolt of magic at the dark figure, but it nimbly jumped out of the way.

"You don't want to play with me? But I want to play a game! And I always get what I want! You bad bad man!" It launched its whip at Drimani, who barely rolled out of the way. "Why don't you want to play with Majora!" Drimani was too shocked at the name to even avoid the next strike. The whip cracked into him, sending him reeling backwards. He was, however, able to keep his feet on the ground and steadied himself. He looked back at the being, now knowing full well what he was up against.

"So you're Majora, huh? I've heard a lot about you. Serving Caedin, and eradicating those tribes all those years ago," Drimani said quietly.

"All those people were bad! I am the good guy, you hear me? I did all those things because it was the right thing to do! They banished me from their midst because I wanted to play with more powerful magic! I got my revenge on them after waiting for so long! I will NOT be stopped by another puny bad man!" Majora screeched. What he did not notice was Drimani disappearing from his sight and reappearing behind him.

"Puny bad man you say? Well then, take this from the 'puny bad man'." With one of his strongest bolts of magic, Drimani sent Majora hurtling across the battlefield. When Majora stood back up, Drimani widened his eyes in horror. _What?! Not one scratch?! Damn! He's way too powerful!_

"You insolent man! How dare you attack me like that?! NOBODY ATTACKS MAJORA!" He formed another whip-like appendage on his opposite side and launched both at Drimani, who managed to shield himself against one of them, but was hit rather hard by the other one. He grunted in pain and shot another bolt at Majora, but he dodged this one too. Twisting in the air, Majora aimed one whip at Drimani and launched it. Drimani easily moved out of the way and then blocked Majora's second attack.

"You know, doing the same attacks over and over again won't do you any good Majora! I can now predict them and deal with you accordingly!" He then charged at Majora, sword poised, believing Majora was now unprotected, but his leg was suddenly caught in one of Majora's whips and his upper body momentum propelled him face-first into the ground. He felt the other whip snake itself around his shield arm, so no matter what he tried to do, Drimani was stuck. Majora laughed childishly before throwing Drimani into the air.

_Damn! What in…? What is this wretched power? I need to think fast! _Drimani felt the effect of gravity take hold and he began to plummet back to the ground, where Majora was waiting to strike again. Just as Majora launched one of his whips, Drimani had an idea. Letting the appendage take hold of his arm, he charged straight down to the ground. As he was about to be turned into a splattered Night Prince, he shot a bolt of magic into his sword and stabbed it into the ground. This caused the sword to bounce and flip Drimani back into the air, allowing him to twist and pull on the whip, forcing Majora off the ground. With a mighty heave, Drimani flipped Majora over him and smashed him into the ground.

Drimani landed back on the ground and began panting heavily. The last maneuver sapped much of his energy, leaving only a handful left. With a slice of his sword, the whip-like appendage was severed, causing Majora to scream in pain. He got up and angrily turned to face Drimani again.

"YOU CUT OFF MY ARM! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?! YOU REALLY ARE A BAD MAN! TAKE THIS!" Majora ripped the rest of the broken appendage off and with a grunt, produced a short sword, roughly half the length of Drimani's blade. Drimani almost thought it was going to be easier now, but with a swing of the sword, Drimani felt a sting on his lower right side. He looked down and gasped before pain erupted from the affected region.

His armor had been sliced right through, and blood was pouring from his lower abdomen. With no energy left to stand, Drimani fell to his knee, clutching his injury. _Damn… That was… What was that…?_ He looked up to find Majora cackling.

"I told you that you were gonna get it! See this?" he asked, holding up the sword. "This here is infused with my darkest magic! I fired a spell that cut right into your armor and cut you! Neat, huh? Eeh hee hee!" Majora began walking toward Drimani and stopped roughly five meters away. "Awwh, don't be sad now! Just think about it this way! The good guy always wins, right? Well I am the good guy and always have been! Goodbye, bad man!" He rose his sword and swung it again, shooting off another spell aimed for Drimani's neck this time.

_Goddesses curse it all… Is this how it's going to end?_ Drimani thought. _What a horrible way to go… I don't even have the energy left to dodge… Darian… Ashei… Zelda… Link… Midna… I'm sorry. I failed you all…_ Drimani closed his eyes, waiting for the killing blow…

But it never came. Drimani opened his eyes and was astonished at what he saw. A figure stood in front of him, holding up its hands. A golden barrier separated them from the cutting spell, and as he looked on, the hostile spell vanished. The figure turned to face Drimani and smirked, causing him to widen his eyes.

"Looks like you're in trouble there Drimani. Didn't I warn you to not overexert yourself? Now look at the mess you're in." Emerald iris turned gold, hair streaked with gold, and black wings glowing and streaked with white…

"…Darian…"

* * *

><p>Did I set the battles up right? Let me know! To all of you faithful still around, R&amp;R!<p>

~LoneRider


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